Owen Sound Sun Times

Grey-Bruce municipalities concerned about spike in OPP costs

8 min read

Some Grey-Bruce municipalities are expressing concern as they stare down significant increases to OPP policing costs in 2025.  But they remain hopeful that the province will provide some relief.  Area municipalities looking at particularly steep increases are Brockton, whose increase has come it at 30 per cent, and Meaford, which has been presented with a 25 […]

Great Lakes Now

Energy News Roundup: Line 5’s potential reroute plus mining permits stoke fears of contamination

3 min read

Energy News Roundup: Line 5’s potential reroute plus mining permits stoke fears of contamination

Wisconsin officials put a controversial pipeline reroute one step closer to construction last week when they issued permits for Enbridge Energy, a Canadian oil company, to move a section of Line 5 off of Tribal land in the far northern part of the state. Construction and agricultural industry groups cheered the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ decision.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Owen Sound Sun Times

Owen Sound group makes recommendations to improve city rental stock

10 min read

A local collaborative that has been studying Owen Sound’s rental housing landscape has released a series of recommendations aimed at addressing unhealthy living conditions and providing supports to ensure the existing rental stock in the city is habitable.  The RentSafe Owen Sound Collaborative appeared before a city corporate service committee meeting on Nov. 14, where they […]

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

3 min read

Great Lakes Echo

By Eric Freedman

Capital News Service

Outbreaks of the waterborne bacteria E. coli can lower local real estate values, at least temporarily, a new study says. Those outbreaks, which have become increasingly common, are a growing concern in coastal and inland communities, particularly in rural counties, according to the study by researchers from Saginaw Valley State University, Cornell University and the University of Rhode Island. “In Michigan, the presence of E. coli has become problematic for many areas where agricultural run-off and ineffective policies have made these outbreaks endemic,” the study said. As for the negative economic impact on homes within one mile of an outbreak, the study found that “proximity to E. coli outbreaks leads to an 8.9% price drop for houses sold during the outbreaks, which is over $13,000 for the average home.”

coli can cause serious illness and death, and is increasingly common due to climate change, especially in the Great Lakes region, it said.

How new charging stations are set to drive Michigan’s EV future

By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

As electric vehicles become more common, Michigan is expanding its charging infrastructure to ensure accessibility for drivers statewide. The state’s Department of Transportation, supported by federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program funds, is accelerating construction of EV charging stations in both urban and rural areas. Currently, there are around 1,660 charging stations across Michigan, 94% of them public.

New marine sanctuary spotlights a ‘submerged museum’ on Lake Ontario 

By Anna Barnes

After seven years of planning, a new marine sanctuary now protects a portion of Lake Ontario rich with history and shipwrecks. The community-driven designation aims to benefit the area through preservation, economic development and conservation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designates marine sanctuaries to preserve sites with national significance, such as important archeology, culture or marine life.

Michigan tourism preps for a colder winter

By Victor Wooddell

Capital News Service

The 2023-24 winter was the warmest on record in the U.S. with average temperatures throughout the state above freezing, with close to average precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. Data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center shows that average daily maximum temperatures in the Midwest were several degrees above normal between December 2023 and February 2024. But this year may be different.

More Headlines

Fraudsters face sentencing in fake green energy venture 
Michigan’s winter festivals adapt as warmer winters test traditions
Audit: Michigan must do better monitoring recreational trails

Owen Sound Sun Times

Another fishing boat sinks at Stokes Bay dock

4 min read

The Canadian Coast Guard is back at Stokes Bay dock today to deal with another partially sunken fishing boat.  “The vessel was reported to CCG the morning of November 20, 2024. CCG will work with the vessel owner to ensure appropriate measures are taken to prevent further pollution within the marine environment,” a federal spokesperson […]

Owen Sound Owen Sound Sun Times

Local workload forcing Brightshores to curtail cancer services

3 min read

About 20 cancer patients per month will have to leave Grey-Bruce for care until a new oncologist can be found, Brightshores Health System vice-president Beth Morris said Wednesday.  That’s the estimated number of patients affected by the decision to relieve the workload of Brightshores’ oncologists by sending some new cancer patients to other hospitals, which […]