By Lillian Williams
Water and air pollution caused by steel production has been negatively affecting residents of Northwest Indiana for over a century. Environmental advocates say the damage continues.
Cities & Suburbs
More funding approved to improve the Greater Chicago Area’s public transit
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By Joshua Kim
Following the passing of new legislation by the Illinois General Assembly, the Regional Transport Authority, soon to be the Northern Illinois Transit Agency, will receive an additional $1.2 billion for its annual budget this year. The additional funding will be used to improve “frequency, reliability, and safety”
Cities & Suburbs
Book helps residents, visitors, use Chicago’s public transit to access recreational sites
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By Joshua Kim
“Chicago Transit Hikes,” a new book by Lindsay Welbers, aims to help Chicago residents and visitors reach outdoor recreation sites car-free.
Cities & Suburbs
Swiss researcher studies ‘abandonment tourism’ in Detroit
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By Camila Bello Castro
A recent case study of a former “abandonment tourism” business in Detroit found a disconnect between the lived experience of many city residents and the lives of the tour participants who were generally white, younger and more international than most Detroiters and generally first-time visitors to the city.
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.
Cities & Suburbs
New book shares how Mackinac Island became Michigan’s tourism gem
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By Isabella Figueroa Nogueria
Frank Boles, a retired Central Michigan University historian, has spent decades documenting Michigan’s past. His latest book, “Visiting Mackinac: 150 Years of Tourism at Michigan’s Fabled Straits,” explores how Mackinac Island and the surrounding Straits region became a hub for travelers from across the country.