WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:04.639 Welcome to Macina Island Moments, hosted by lifelong islander Jason 2 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:08.480 saint Ande. Through conversations and interviews with Foe Island locals 3 00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:11.119 and residents, Jason will bring you the real stories and 4 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:14.000 characters that to find life on the island. Whether you're 5 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:16.760 a seasoned visitor, new to Macaina Island, or even an 6 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:19.640 island er yourself, it'll be sure to learn firsthand about 7 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:22.079 the island with Jason on Macan Island Moments. 8 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:27.359 Come to another edition of the Macina Island Moments podcast, 9 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:30.920 the only podcast brought to you by a Macina Islander. 10 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:34.560 From Macina Island folks, It's been just about a week 11 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:37.320 or two since we talked last, and I want to 12 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:39.840 update everybody in the cleanup efforts that have commenced on 13 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:43.200 Macan Island. It's it's no big surprise. We had the 14 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:45.119 big storm a couple of weeks ago, the big ice 15 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:47.520 storm storm of the century as folks are calling it, 16 00:00:47.560 --> 00:00:51.640 and I concur with that analogy. I do want to 17 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:53.799 clear up some of the misinformation going around, so we're 18 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:56.520 gonna we're gonna touch on that today and then some 19 00:00:56.600 --> 00:01:00.759 of the you know, pronounced efforts that have gone into 20 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:04.799 getting us back on track. This episode is sponsored by 21 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:06.640 our friends at the Mustang Lounge. 22 00:01:06.280 --> 00:01:08.200 The oldest historic tavern. 23 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:11.159 In Michigan, located on Astor Street. The Mustang was crucial 24 00:01:11.640 --> 00:01:14.879 and these clean up efforts and not only getting open, 25 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:18.200 but staying open and helping supply meals, and we'll touch 26 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:20.519 on that in a bit. So I wanted you to 27 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:24.359 know that the cleanup began immediately. You know, the Islanders 28 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:28.319 are a pretty resilient bunch, and that's been fostered by, 29 00:01:28.519 --> 00:01:31.599 you know, our independence from mainland. 30 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:32.239 Securities, so to speak. 31 00:01:32.519 --> 00:01:37.040 We're pretty resourceful folks, not because we're built any different 32 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:38.560 than the rest of the world, but because we've had 33 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:40.760 to be. You know, you're at the mercy of a 34 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:43.079 boat or an airplane, so you get a little bit 35 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:44.599 more resourceful over time. 36 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:46.359 But cleanup began immediately. 37 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.519 And what I mean by that is even during the storm, 38 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:52.719 State Park and Fire Department crews were out clearing vital roads, 39 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:55.359 which are you know, in my opinion, roads that lead 40 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:58.760 from the fire station to any occupied residents, because we 41 00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:02.000 had to secure fire and MS lanes in the event 42 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:05.000 of emergency. Because some of you may not be aware, 43 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:08.039 but people do live here year round, so we want 44 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:10.599 to make sure they had support efforts available. 45 00:02:11.560 --> 00:02:14.280 So to that end, let me say this. 46 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:16.400 You know, there's a lot of headlines that said, will 47 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.000 MC and Island open? Is MC and Island open, blah 48 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:22.879 blah blah. This is a living breeding community and I 49 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.400 touched upon that in the very first podcast, the intro. 50 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:30.240 This is a town with citizens and a school, a 51 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:34.039 police department, a medical center that's open year round. So 52 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:36.439 I don't know how we ever closed to get to 53 00:02:36.439 --> 00:02:37.879 the point where are we going to open? 54 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:38.879 Now? 55 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:41.719 I know there's some you know, some. 56 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:44.439 Words you can play with, because the vast majority of 57 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:48.000 our businesses are seasonal, and those businesses do open in 58 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:50.400 the end of April, beginning of May. The Grand Hotel, 59 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:54.080 Fort mckinawe, you know, Mission Point Resort, all the big 60 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:57.400 places are going to open here in about I don't 61 00:02:57.400 --> 00:02:59.439 even know what the date is, April twelfth, April thirteent. 62 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:01.439 They're going to open in about two weeks ten days. 63 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:04.280 So yes, I guess if you want to play some 64 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:07.560 attics with words like that, you could say those businesses open. 65 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:08.879 But you know, the. 66 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:11.879 Ferry service runs until it can't and some years that 67 00:03:11.960 --> 00:03:14.080 means it runs year round, and some years it means 68 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:16.960 it only runs till the beginning of January and then 69 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:19.719 it resumes as soon as it can. In some years 70 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:23.360 that means the second week of January, and some years 71 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:27.439 it means not until April. This year, it resumed pretty 72 00:03:27.479 --> 00:03:29.599 early in March. I think around March tenth or so, 73 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:32.159 I'm not sure. So you can always get to the island. 74 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:35.280 And let me clarify that Mcina Island is eighty two 75 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:38.319 percent state park, which means it's owned by the people 76 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:40.680 of the state of Michigan. That includes all the woods 77 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.560 and the shore. You know, the road around the beach 78 00:03:43.639 --> 00:03:47.000 is in the state park, the shore Fort mckinaw's in 79 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:48.840 the state park, and in fact, the East and West 80 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.599 Bluff Cottages are in the state park. More on that 81 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:55.039 another episode, I guess. But it's a state park and 82 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:58.199 there's no open and closed sign on that state park. 83 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:01.439 A lot of us enjoy the park in the winter. 84 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:05.560 Cross country skiing here is unparalleled. And you know, Arch 85 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:07.520 Rock doesn't close. They don't take it down for the 86 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:10.199 year and put it away. Sugar Loaf doesn't close. Ford 87 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:13.479 Holmes doesn't close. It's their year round to enjoy. Just 88 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:18.240 getting here isn't very easy or or established, if you will. 89 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.360 But anyway, it doesn't close. 90 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:22.959 So I don't know how it could open. 91 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:29.360 But you know, sensational headlines sell or as they teach 92 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:32.839 in marketing, one O one sex sells. So you know, 93 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:35.720 click driven headlines like will mc and Island open or 94 00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:38.120 mac and Island won't open on their opening day and 95 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:40.160 such like that, they want you to click on that 96 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:42.759 because they're click driven sites. Each time you click, someone 97 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:44.560 gets a tenth of a penny or something, and if 98 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:46.319 they get one hundred thousand of you to click on that, 99 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:50.360 then that's great. I guess headlines like mac and Island 100 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:53.079 is cleaning up and shouldn't see any sort of glitch 101 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:56.160 and opening day for their businesses, that's probably not a clicker. 102 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:00.959 So that's truly what's going on though, And you know 103 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.959 what's led up to that is just a pronounced effort 104 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:07.360 on a lot of folks as part to make this happen. 105 00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:08.800 And we're very lucky. 106 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:13.600 Bryce Tracy from the Office of Emergency Management for Macinac County. 107 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:16.560 Macina Island is in Macinac County. It's the first county 108 00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:20.519 the Neper Peninsula off the bridge. He worked pretty hard 109 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:23.319 to get the National Guard secured to come over here 110 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:27.879 and help clean up primary roads and such, and there 111 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:30.839 was no small undertaking. A lot of people were asking 112 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:32.399 for help, and you got to be really good at 113 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:34.360 your dot and your eyes and crossing your t's and 114 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:37.079 make that happen. And we did get the call on 115 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:41.120 Wednesday that or was it on Thursday? You know, folks, 116 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:43.720 my days I've been running together since this thing started. 117 00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:46.759 But we did get a call on Wednesday that on 118 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:49.759 Thursday morning, a detachment from the Michigan National Guard would 119 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:53.560 be heading over along with a chainsaw Strikeforce team from MAYBIS. 120 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:57.240 Maybe this is the Michigan Automated box alarm system. And 121 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:00.399 we're real happy to hear that this was going to happ happened, 122 00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:02.480 so we had to react quickly. We had to get 123 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:07.439 some people together around, some manpower up ourselves. We needed 124 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:12.399 meals for the guys, and apparently in some of their 125 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:14.759 deployments they sleep on cots and they bring their own 126 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:17.279 food with them, and the people in this town right 127 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:20.240 away said, oh, absolutely not. And our friends down at 128 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.680 Mission Point offered up hotel rooms for all the guys 129 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:24.160 and gals. 130 00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:25.959 They brought some women with them as. 131 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:29.680 Well, and they offered up hotel rooms and between the 132 00:06:29.720 --> 00:06:34.079 Mayor's office, the city clerk, the Mayor's assistant, and I'm 133 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:37.240 probably missing some folks, I know, they worked together with 134 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:39.720 the Mustang Lounge and they catered in some meals. So 135 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:43.680 in the morning when they rolled off the freight boat, 136 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:46.519 there was coffee and sweet rolls ready to go, and 137 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.360 then they had a warm lunch, and then they had 138 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:50.160 a warm dinner, and the next day they had a 139 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:53.600 warm breakfast and a warm lunch again, and so much 140 00:06:53.639 --> 00:06:56.759 so that the guardsmen started to enjoy themselves, I think. 141 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:59.439 And what that was was just some good old fashioned 142 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:02.439 mac And Island hospitality. And you know where a town 143 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:05.720 steeped in tradition of hospitality, and we know when to 144 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:08.560 roll out the red carpet, so to speak. So what 145 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:13.519 happened is they loaded all their ancillary vehicles and side 146 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:18.160 by sides onto the Arnold Frights vessel Senator and they 147 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:21.240 departed Saint Agnes. And my god, if you would have 148 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:24.360 seen Market Street, it was lined up from the from 149 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:27.920 the post office almost almost to the medical center with 150 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:31.720 pickup trucks and ATVs and troop transports. I mean they 151 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:34.759 had to bring they had to bring vehicles, and we 152 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:35.600 were happy to see them. 153 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:37.040 There wasn't even a qualm about that. 154 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:39.199 So they rolled off and we went up to the 155 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:43.759 community hall became their operating base, that's right down next 156 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:46.920 to the fire station, and we kind of met went 157 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:49.000 over to the lieutenant, and I went over to the 158 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:50.959 firehouse to look at some maps and kind of point 159 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:54.040 out some stuff. And you know, they're on a real 160 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:57.279 strict mission that they're only to take care of primary roads, 161 00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:59.920 and you know they're not going interior because that's not 162 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:03.120 part of the highway. And what I did explain to 163 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:05.480 the lieutenant as I said, look, you know, any other 164 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:08.040 state park in Michigan, you can close the gate or 165 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:10.240 put a saw horse across it and the park is 166 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.319 closed and nobody's going to drive through that. But here 167 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:16.120 on macn Island, you don't drive your car. You walk 168 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:17.879 or take a bicycle. And I said, what's going to 169 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:20.560 end up happening is going to be very similar to 170 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:23.639 when the highway was closed around the east side from 171 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:25.480 the big wash out from the storm. So you can 172 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:28.000 put all the barricade tape and all the saw horses, 173 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:29.959 you want, and people are going to cross that and 174 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.440 go out there anyway. And if we'd have had those 175 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:35.879 that Art Rock Road closed and Sugarloaf Road, people are 176 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:37.399 going to hop that and they're going to head out 177 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:40.759 there anyway. And that's fine until they get hurt out there, 178 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:42.519 and then we have no way to get an ambulance 179 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.799 to them or any other services. Not to mention, the 180 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:48.399 dry season comes up in spring and that's you know, 181 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:50.960 when we start being on high alert for any fire 182 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:54.000 in the woods. So, you know, getting it open to us, 183 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:57.039 I guess on paper, to the guard it probably didn't 184 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:59.799 seem like a priority, but to us that are in 185 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:02.960 the know, it was. So I had a little discussion 186 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:06.519 with the lieutenant, and as luck would have it, I said, 187 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:08.240 I don't know if you're familiar with our t rock. 188 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:10.799 He said, I'm very familiar with our t rock. Me 189 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:15.600 and my wife got engaged at our trock and I said, okay, perfect. 190 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:17.480 So if we don't get our t rock open and 191 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:18.879 you don't get out there to get a picture to 192 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:21.360 show your wife, you're going to have bigger trouble than me. 193 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:24.200 And we all kind of laughed, and he said, again, 194 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.639 our mission is to open up your primary roads and 195 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:29.240 we'll see what we can do afterwards. I said, I 196 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:32.240 understand that, but those those are primary to us. And 197 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:36.399 so they went to work and we split the teams 198 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:38.240 up and they went to the east side of the 199 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.559 island because that road was not open yet. The State 200 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:43.639 park was able to get the west side open. Took 201 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:45.960 a crew of four or five almost two days to 202 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:50.600 get it open from British Landing to town. And that 203 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.159 side didn't get hit as bad because it's not as 204 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.679 a pronounced you know, it's steep for the first mile 205 00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:57.519 or two, but then it starts of flatten out around 206 00:09:57.559 --> 00:09:59.759 stone cliffs, so it's not as a pronounced amount of 207 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:00.399 dead fall. 208 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:02.759 But on the east side it was really bad. 209 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:04.879 So they split up and they started coming at it 210 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:07.799 from two different directions, and we were hoping by day's 211 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:11.080 end the two teams would meet up and then the 212 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:14.000 highway would be open. I mean it's called a highway, folks, 213 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:16.759 because it is M one five. It is a state highway, 214 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:20.159 just there aren't any cars on it. So as luck 215 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:22.440 would have it, and it's a surprise to us. By 216 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:26.360 eleven thirty or so eleven forty, the two teams met 217 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:28.200 they had the road clear. I mean, these guys were 218 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:33.279 going to town and chainsaws were flying and cedars were flying, 219 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:35.639 birch trees were flying, and they were making. 220 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:36.960 Fast work out of what they had to do. 221 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:41.519 And fortunately they got that cleared. So then they reconvene 222 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:45.919 at the base headquarters and made another plan and they said, okay, 223 00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:49.039 well we'll now start working on those secondary roads. We're here, 224 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:51.080 so let's take on some more stuff. 225 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:51.679 It's great. 226 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:54.559 So they were able to get our trock open, and 227 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:56.320 then they're able to get sugar Loaf open, and then 228 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:57.840 they're able to get FOURD homes open. 229 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.720 At one pm, I noted on my phone. 230 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:04.360 Fort Holmes was liberated by the United States Army National Guard, 231 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:07.080 and they all kind of jumped up on the fort 232 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:09.600 and we took a photo of the guys who worked 233 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:11.799 on that. Let me tell you, we're going up Fort 234 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:14.480 Holmes Road, and these guys were running up the road 235 00:11:14.519 --> 00:11:17.639 from tree to tree, and you know, I almost wanted 236 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:20.200 to yell out the window of the truck, you guys 237 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:22.200 don't have to run, But then I remember the guys 238 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.480 are all in their twenties. They probably run everywhere. They're 239 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:27.399 like a bunch of deer. But anyway, they were running 240 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:29.679 up Fort Holmes Road getting the trees out of the way, 241 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:32.919 clearing it open, and then that was opened, and then 242 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:36.240 they spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up Garrison 243 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:39.440 Road and British Landing Road, and they were pretty soon. 244 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:41.720 We started looking around and thought, you know what, we 245 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:46.720 have every paved road there is open, except for Leslie Avenue, 246 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:49.639 which is one of the better scenic roads in the island. 247 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.559 But that is definitely not a primary road. 248 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:53.279 And that's a tough one to sell, even to the 249 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:57.240 guard And you know, we said, you know, the State 250 00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:58.919 Park will just have to chip away at that one. 251 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:01.519 But these guys, guys also had a list from the 252 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:05.039 city and the Department of Public Works for major infrastructure, 253 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:06.960 and that was you know, one of the reasons we 254 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:08.679 had to get up Fort Holmes right away is because 255 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:11.279 the reservoir for mack And Island the water. You know, 256 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:13.440 most towns you look and there's that great, big, bulbous 257 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:15.440 tower with the town's name on it, and the water 258 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:18.720 drains down from that into your service. Well, we have 259 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:20.879 a million gallon reservoir as well, but it's up at 260 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.759 Fort Homes and it's built into the ground, so you 261 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:25.039 ride by it and you don't even know it. And 262 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:28.759 so getting that cleared was essential as well. There's a 263 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:32.320 lot of service manholes and such that had dead fall 264 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:34.480 on them and trees, and so they went around and 265 00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:37.519 helped clear that up as well. And by dinner time 266 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:40.600 we were sitting real pretty I mean, they were quite clear, 267 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:41.360 you know, they will. 268 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:42.399 Not do private property. 269 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:44.120 They can't and we didn't expect them to, and we 270 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:46.039 didn't make an ask on that either. 271 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:48.000 But dinner was. 272 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:50.759 Served at the community hall for the guys, and by 273 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:54.679 now some camaraderie started to form between the fire unit, 274 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:57.759 state park units and the guard and a little bit 275 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:00.759 of laughter and we're having some fun. And then those 276 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:04.799 guys were kind of done for the night, and they 277 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:06.559 brought them down to their hotel at mission point, and 278 00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:08.679 I think they got a relax I know, one guy 279 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:11.120 got a call from his wife or his girlfriend wanted 280 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.000 to make sure they had a dry place to sleep 281 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:15.759 and they had warm food, and he was laughing and said, 282 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.440 this is just about our best detail yet. 283 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:18.000 We're fine. 284 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:23.039 So the next morning the reconvened at seven thirty in 285 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:26.840 the morning, made new plan and even finished up more roads, 286 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:31.480 and they even went to Mission Church, which is state owned, 287 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:33.960 and there was a huge maple was right through the 288 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:36.320 front the fence. Made fast work out of the fence, 289 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:38.879 and the lieutenant said, we're going to get that done 290 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:42.240 for you as well and help keep the other guys 291 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:45.000 working on other stuff. If we can get all this stuff, 292 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:47.559 that'll keep the local guys working on other stuff. 293 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:48.000 So they are. 294 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:53.559 So they did, and they laughed around noon on Friday, I. 295 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.080 Believe it was. 296 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:58.159 And you know, they did just a phenomenal job. They 297 00:13:58.200 --> 00:14:01.480 made fast work out of so much. Now during all 298 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:03.720 this I keep reading these, you know, these headlines, Oh, 299 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:05.279 we don't know if the island is going to open, 300 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:07.879 it might be mid May, and I'm just you know, 301 00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:10.519 pulling my hair out reading this stuff. And I try 302 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:12.320 not to comment because there's just no point. 303 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:13.200 You know. 304 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:16.320 I've had people argue with me about fires I've been to, 305 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:18.360 and I you know, I tried to explain to them 306 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:21.679 I was there, I'm the chief, and they still say, Nope, absolutely, 307 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:22.080 that's not. 308 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:22.480 How it went. 309 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:26.480 I read it on a news outlet and I said, well, 310 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:29.440 you can't argue with the internet, I guess, But you know, 311 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:32.600 some of these things were, you know, just saying we 312 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:35.679 don't know and hopefully it's mid May and and I 313 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:38.240 get it. And a lot of these quote unquote news 314 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:41.600 sources or Facebook pages. You also have to remember tourism 315 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:45.159 in northern Michigan is probably the primary driving economic force, 316 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.600 and there's a lot of these areas are competing for 317 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:52.320 that tourism. So some of these were promulgated from, you know, 318 00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:56.279 towns that compete with us for tourism dollars, and they 319 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.720 were kind of piling on and I think they kind 320 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:01.399 of figured if they could get you, the the general 321 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:03.559 public and tourists to believe that mc and Island wasn't 322 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:05.639 going to open, well, then maybe you'd go somewhere else. 323 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:10.120 And you know, a lot of folks weren't like that, though, 324 00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:13.120 of course they knew that we're all in this together, 325 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:15.080 particularly in this tourism trade. 326 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.960 Everybody gets trickled down from everybody. 327 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:20.919 So it's you know, it's not good to dog anybody, 328 00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:23.120 but it's really not good to dog somebody when it's 329 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:28.080 not true. But my point of that story is what 330 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:30.080 was the old quote there? Reports of our death have 331 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:35.080 been greatly exaggerated, and I'm happy to say now all 332 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:37.840 those roads. Every paved road on Mcin Island except for 333 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:41.360 Leslie Avenue is opened to passage and you can ride 334 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:43.879 your bike down it or walk it. You can get 335 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:45.799 to our Trock, you can get to Fort Holmes Point. 336 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:48.679 Lookout all the way around the beach. Are there piles 337 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:50.879 of debris on the side of the road. Sure, sure, 338 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:53.799 it's not garbage. It doesn't smell. It's just stacked up 339 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:58.399 brush and tree and logs, and that's getting picked up 340 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:01.759 by the hour. Eight park crews were out yesterday working. 341 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:03.639 I don't know if they're working today. I haven't been 342 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:05.320 out of the house yet. I'll go out here shortly. 343 00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:08.639 They work and all day yesterday to pick up debris 344 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:11.159 and take it to a central location where it'll be 345 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:16.600 chipped and or burned. And next week a private contracting 346 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:19.840 crew is coming in to pick up all the brush 347 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:24.679 in the city areas, the residences and the neighborhoods. Just 348 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:27.200 because this time here there's there's only a handful of 349 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.600 dreys horse drawn dres on the road and a handful 350 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:32.399 of drivers. Well, those guys are kind of committed to, 351 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:35.159 you know, deliver the ups, deliver the mail, deliver the food, 352 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:38.399 et cetera, et cetera, and they'd have been just overwhelmed 353 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:41.240 to try to go, you know, neighborhood to neighborhood to 354 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:45.399 pick up brush piles. So the city opted to hire 355 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:47.519 a service that's going to come in with a boom 356 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:49.720 lift as well to get rid of the widow makers, 357 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:51.879 because there's some some hanging branches here and there, and 358 00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:54.039 they're gonna they're gonna kind of clear clear cut things 359 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:55.799 and clean it up, I should say, not clear cut, 360 00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:58.519 clean it up. And that's going to start a week 361 00:16:58.519 --> 00:17:01.879 from tomorrow. So I can tell you right now, if 362 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:05.079 you rode around downtown, you'd be hard pressed to believe 363 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:08.359 that's the same town as it was two weeks ago. 364 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:13.960 It looks amazingly different. And every day awnings are going 365 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:17.079 up and you're starting to see deliveries. I know, Like 366 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:18.839 I said, a couple of businesses are going to open 367 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:21.559 right after Easter. I think the Grand Hotel does a 368 00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:23.359 soft opening. The end of Stone Cliff is going to 369 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.119 have a soft opening mission point as well, And you're 370 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:29.799 going to start seeing a few more restaurants open taverns 371 00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:33.240 if you will. And I would say we're well on pace, 372 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:36.440 and what I indicated on a post on our sister's site, 373 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:39.599 Mac and Island News and Views, was that I don't 374 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:42.920 see a scenario at this point where any business isn't 375 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:44.400 going to open on its. 376 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:47.200 Pre described opening day. 377 00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:49.640 You know, back in January February the business to start 378 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:51.799 saying our opening day is this, or opening day is that. 379 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:56.279 I don't see a scenario where one single business says 380 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.599 we're not going to open on time, at least due 381 00:17:58.599 --> 00:18:00.920 to the storm. Somebody might have some dry wall damage 382 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:02.880 or some help didn't show up. You know, I can't 383 00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:03.640 control that, of. 384 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.720 Course, but there's due to this storm. 385 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:08.920 I don't see a scenario where anything isn't going to 386 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:13.039 be open as its earlier prescribed time, you know. To 387 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:17.000 that end, it is frustrating for the locals to read 388 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:20.559 this open closed stuff. And we do love it in 389 00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:20.920 the winter. 390 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:21.359 I do. 391 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:24.279 I've said on many occasions I like winter better than summer. 392 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:27.720 Not because I don't like tourists. I'm not in Moron. 393 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:31.559 I understand what drives the economics of this town. I 394 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:36.119 just like winter because it's pretty. It's there's all that 395 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.519 snow and the ice, and then when there's open water, 396 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:41.200 that azure blue water contrasting with the white is just 397 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.799 really nice. And I like the views, and I do 398 00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:45.559 like if I want to go to art Rock, I'll 399 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:47.400 have our trock to myself. If you walk out to 400 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:49.200 our t rock at ten am on any day of 401 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:51.000