Nearly a century after logging and fishing practices wiped out Arctic grayling, state and tribal leaders are scouting northern streams where they can thrive. The must-haves: cold water, plenty of shade, and trout anglers who won’t be hostile to their return.
Licenses have declined for years, so state regulators are buying lands near cities and reaching out to people of color in hopes of saving Michigan’s outdoors legacy.
Airports in Alpena, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Iron Mountain and Pellston are losing direct flights to Detroit and Minneapolis, which could add hours to trips and devastate airport revenues.
Recreational and charter fishing groups filed a request Wednesday seeking a seat at the table as Michigan regulators negotiate with five tribes over fishing rights.
Isle Royale’s historic cabins were sold to the U.S. government generations ago, but a series of deals allowed family descendants to continue to use them. Now, the park service is debating which cabins to keep, and whether to open them to the public.
The Michigan Public Service Commission voted to collect more evidence on safety and explosion risks before deciding whether to grant the Canadian energy company a key permit to begin the tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac.
Residents have until August 4 to comment on the draft proposal for how the state will manage wolves. Hunts have been controversial downstate, while most wolves are in the Upper Peninsula.
Beech leaf disease was recently detected in St. Clair County, which can kill the trees in roughly six to ten years. There is currently no known treatment for it. State officials warn against transporting wood from the trees.
A literal last-day state infusion of $11-million is keeping the doors open at Sturgis Hospital, keeping it from completing its planned shutdown later in July. But red ink continues to pressure independent and other hospitals that small, rural communities depend upon.
Don’t forget to pack a life jacket and update yourself on water safety precautions before the holiday weekend. Drownings are up across the Great Lakes and state officials are urging beachgoers to prioritize safety.
Michigan’s parks and natural areas are part of the fabric of our state, and we should take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to assure the ability to care for them forever.
Competition for workers and a lack of rental homes in the Upper Peninsula prompted the state to convert an unused building at Tahquamenon Falls. Next up: the Porcupine Mountains, with more housing options likely to follow in northern Michigan.
Fewer boats at a Rogers City marina. Wine-tasting crowd down in Leelanau County. New worries about travel costs Up North. This summer was supposed to be different. But warning signs mount for Michigan’s travel industry.
The Escanaba first grade teacher will be spending time away from the classroom next school year to advocate for mental health resources, as well as employee retention and recruitment plans statewide.
