Tag: Tourism
The past, present and future of a changing Lake Ontario | Great Lakes Now
By Daniel Macfarlane
This story is an excerpt from Daniel Macfarlane’s book The Lives of Lake Ontario: An Environmental History.
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS, Michigan Public and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.
The past, present and future of a changing Lake Ontario
By Daniel Macfarlane
This story is an excerpt from Daniel Macfarlane’s book The Lives of Lake Ontario: An Environmental History.
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS, Michigan Public and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.
Petoskey officials celebrate housing wins, look to 2025
Officials say they’re feeling optimistic about opportunities for year-round housing but there’s still work to be done in the new year.
‘Makerspace’ a place to learn skills and share knowledge
Before Mike Jones became a member of Grey Bruce Makers, he worked in his basement on his idea for making picture frame audio speakers. Saturday in a former school gym at what’s become a learning hub called Sydenham Campus in Owen Sound, he and others displayed what they’d made at a Christmas market sale. The […]
South Bruce Peninsula approves 3.9% budget hike
South Bruce Peninsula council approved its 2025 operating and capital budgets with a 3.9 per cent municipal levy increase. The 2025 budget will cover total net operating expenses of $12,825,099, compared to $12,343,860 in 2024. The figure squares with the prediction made by the director of financial services and treasurer Tracey Neifer in mid-October when […]
Great Lakes Echo
| November 18, 2024
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.
Energy
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.
Nearshore
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.
Climate
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.
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Ida’s Christmas Village returning to Goderich for Dec. 1 grand opening
GODERICH – Ida’s Christmas Village in Goderich is returning after a three-year absence. Ida Mcaulay, who had been arranging her Christmas display for the community for more than 20 years, has again been busily decorating for this year’s edition, which will be unveiled with a grand opening at noon on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 91 […]
Waves of Change: Meet Protect the Porkies founder Tom Grotewohl
Waves of Change is an online interview series highlighting the diverse faces and perspectives shaping the environmental justice movement throughout the Great Lakes region.
This month, we spoke with Tom Grotewohl, a resident of Wakefield Township in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and founder of the Protect the Porkies campaign.
City news: Bluffs building help, fire truck sale, cemetery niche, more
A pilot project will be extended in which Owen Sound building department staff will continue to provide building permit and inspection services for Georgian Bluffs. Also, city staff would support bylaw enforcement and any future short-term rental licensing program in the township by providing inspections and licences. The pilot started in May to solve a […]
All aboard! Local town set to live-stream rail crossings to draw tourists
The bells ring, the lights flash and the crossing gates descend, blocking the road and delaying drivers from reaching their destination. Though it can be inconvenient to idle while a locomotive pulls freight cars, sometimes stretching for several kilometres, to train enthusiasts, passing trains are the destination and a Southwestern Ontario townâs new tourism venture […]