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By Kayte Marshall
The DNR’s Nature Awaits program brings fourth graders to more than two dozen state parks, including ones in Mattawan, Holland, Paradise, Norton Shores and Detroit. The goal is to familiarize them with state parks and get them hooked on nature and the outdoors.
By Daniel Schoenherr
A new Senate bill would make it easier to subdivide parcels of 10 or more acres in what proponents say would encourage construction of more affordable housing. Critics counter it could put a strain on municipal infrastructure. Sponsor is from St. Clair Shores. We hear from the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners and Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors.
By Victoria Witke A proposal would impose a 50-cent per delivery “retail delivery tax” to raise about $275 million a year to fix local streets. We hear from the Michigan Municipal League, which is floating the idea, and the Michigan Retailers Association and Small Business Association of Michigan which call it a no-go. An Ann Arbor legislator on the subcommittee that handles transportation funding says the money is badly needed.
By Katie Finkbeiner
A group of Democratic and Republican senators want to bring gun safety instruction into middle and high schools with DNR-certified instructors. The lead sponsor, from North Muskegon, said the program would improve gun safety among youth and perhaps increase the ranks of young hunters. Cosponsors include senators from Detroit, Harbor Springs, Manton and Mount Pleasant and Six Lakes. A U-M expert discusses.
By Ruth Thornton
A new study finds new PFAS in the water and fish of Lake Huron near Rockport and Port Austin, raising concerns about human and wildlife health. We talk to one of the authors, experts from the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, an Alpena charter boat captain and an East Lansing legislator.
By Clara Lincolnhol
Toledo, Ohio, has a rich Rust Belt history that influences its present-day culture. Local environmental groups and agencies are turning to public art to teach residents that the area’s natural history is just as important.
“Telling this story through something visual that beautifies a community is a great way to educate Toledo residents and reconnect them to nature in the place they call home, said Rob Krain,” executive director for the Black Swamp Conservancy.
By Isabella Figueroa
New grants to Great Lakes states to measure harmful chemicals in marginalized communities are facing uncertainty under increased White House scrutiny on federal spending.
In September 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a first round of $5 million across six state biomonitoring programs that measure chemicals in people. Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin were among the states receiving grants.
By Donté Smith
Artificial turf fields are becoming a hallmark at high schools across the state with the Michigan High School Athletic Association reporting around 100 high schools now playing on them.
A study by the University Hospitals Sports Medicine Institute and Case Western Reserve University showed athletes were 58% more likely to sustain an injury during athletic activities on artificial turf, compared to natural surfaces, with significantly higher injury rates observed in football, soccer and rugby.
By Ayushya Gautam
Big buildings, concrete and roads paint Detroit, just as they do other cities across the country. As a result, the city’s temperature also tends to be hotter than in nearby communities.
Cities are prone to the heat island effect, a phenomenon in which urban areas experience more heat than rural or even nearby suburban areas due to the concentration of infrastructure.
By Clara Lincolnhol
Chris Compton, owner of a company called Goose Busters, has spent nearly 30 years addressing human-goose conflicts. Over the years, the goose population has continued to grow, especially in more populated areas, he said.
“We have them all over,” he said. “They’re building up in Lansing quite a bit. Ann Arbor’s a big area. Troy, Detroit, Rochester Hills and Auburn Hills too.”
That also means there’s a lot of goose poop. One adult goose can produce up to two pounds of feces a day. Too much waste could cause environmental problems, research shows.