Water
Scientists find proof of invader established in Lake Superior
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By Eric Freedman
Scientists now have evidence that yet another invasive aquatic species — the bloody red shrimp — is established in all five Great Lakes.
Solutions
Winter makes curved roads dangerous; researchers seek solutions
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By Eric Freedman
Flashing light on warning signs near curves can slow drivers and reduce the odds of a crash during winter weather conditions, says a new study by Michigan State University engineers.
Recreation
Great Lakes books for your holiday gift list
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By Eric Freedman
Looking for a holiday gift for a reader who loves the Great Lakes? Here are five prospects to consider – and what our reporters learned from interviewing their authors this year.
Land
Green clues: Crime-busters turn to moss to help solve crimes
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By Eric Freedman
Tiny pieces of moss can be crime-busters, says a study examining how law enforcement agencies, forensic teams and botanists have used moss to solve murders, track missing people, calculate how long ago someone died and – in a notorious Mason County case – try to locate the body of a baby murdered by her father.
Green Gavel
Michigan court refuses to reinstate lawsuit over runaway carriage horse at Greenfield Village
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By Eric Freedman
A horse-drawn carriage. A runaway horse. A crash. Sounds like an old-fashioned drama – not a bizarre 21st-century event. But that’s what happened three years ago when a visitor was injured while riding in a horse-drawn omnibus at Greenfield Village. The Court of Appeals has refused to reinstate her negligence suit against The Henry Ford and the driver.
Cities & Suburbs
Vacant lots boost diversity among Detroit’s birds, study finds
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By Eric Freedman
Empty lots in deindustrialized cities like Detroit may contribute to bird species diversity, says a new study by researchers at MSU and Carleton University in Canada. The study is based on sound recordings collected at 110 sites in 11 Detroit neighborhoods. The study recommends that vacant land management in the city takes a balanced approach that considers the needs of both residents and birds. There are other concerns about vacant land, too, including as sites for solar arrays.
Land
Bear-baiting bear hunting guide hit with hunting ban
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By Eric Freedman
A Wisconsin bear hunting guide has been barred for a year from hunting on federal land. Timothy Collar’s crime: illegal bear baiting in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Waste
Michigan court clears South Haven in beach drowning suit
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By Eric Freedman
The Michigan Court of Appeals has cleared the city of South Haven of liability in the 2020 drowning of an 18-year-old swimmer at a public beach on the Lake Michigan coast.
Transportation
Study finds high risk of injury or death in motorcycle-deer collisions
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By Eric Freedman
Motorcycles and deer don’t mix. And motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to injury or death when they do, according to a recent study of a decade’s worth of crashes in Michigan.
Transportation
Busy Blue Water Bridge gets positive auditor general report
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By Eric Freedman
The iconic Blue Water Bridge has received a clean bill of operational health from the Michigan Auditor General’s Office. Based on its preliminary survey of procurement, fleet vehicles, employee training and toll transactions, the office said it saw no need to do a full performance audit of the bridge’s effectiveness and efficiency.