Federal officials have repeatedly told the owner of a nonfunctioning hydro plant connected to the dam to bring it back online, but the company has not done so. Now, state officials are scrambling to restart the plant in hopes of staving off dam failure.
Northern Michigan
Posted inQuality of Life
Michigan flood watch: Cheboygan dam threatened; heavy rains close roads
Heavy rains, excessive snowmelt and saturated ground have combined to cause flooding across northern Michigan. Water levels are near the top of the Cheboygan dam and officials told residents to prepare for evacuation.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Listen: Scientists work to reintroduce whitefish to Michigan’s rivers
Interlochen Public Radio joined scientists as they worked to reintroduce whitefish to the Jordan River.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Opponents worry over tunnel construction as Line 5 report released
A geologic report released recently as part of the permitting process has Line 5 opponents worried about safety and the environment if Enbridge goes forward with its pipeline tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge said the data’s been out there for years and construction can happen safely.
Posted inOutdoors Life
More people fishing in Michigan as state considers license fee hikes
Today marks the first day of the 2026 fishing season, which means anglers need a new license and need to pay attention to some notable regulation changes.
Posted inQuality of Life
Most Michigan counties gained population last year. See where
Michigan’s population grew between 2020 and 2025, new Census estimates show, but some parts of the state are doing better than others.
Posted inQuality of Life
Should Michigan bury power lines after back-to-back years of ice storms?
Some say utilities should bury power lines to prevent outages. The costs outweigh the benefits, utilities say.
Posted inMichigan Government
Family of Michigan ICE detainee offers mutual aid for fellow immigrants
After their father was detained, two sisters launched a network of advocates who help ICE detainees inside and outside the Baldwin detention facility.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
EMS providers battle money, staffing woes in rural Michigan’s ambulance ‘deserts’
Rural emergency medical services in Michigan are burdened by the high cost of keeping crews ready and insurance payouts that fail to cover calls. Hospital closures and mergers and a lack of local dollars aren’t helping matters, leaving local residents in a bind to keep services afloat.
Posted inQuality of Life
One year after ice storm, Michigan maple syrup producer back to tapping
The 2025 ice storm toppled tens of millions of trees and destroyed about a third of the state’s maple syrup production. This year’s ice storm wasn’t as bad for most syrup producers.