Spartan Newsroom (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/category/news/)
Toni Watters is a loving mother of four and devoted wife who lives in East Lansing. Recently, her faith has been tested while she tries her best to provide her family a loving and stable home. This photo essay explores Watters unyielding faith as she perseveres through the trails of life, finding out just how strong faith and belief can take you.
HEAT WAVE: Extreme heat events in the Great Lakes region will only become more frequent as climate change warms the oceans, lakes and air, a U-M climate expert says. And the earlier that heat waves start each season, the more there may be in the months to come. By Elinor Epperson. FOR ALL POINTS.
CONTAMINATED PLUME: Gelman Sciences manufactured medical filters for decades, but dioxane from the Scio Township plant leaked into Ann Arbor’s groundwater, creating a plume of contamination more than 4 miles long. Gelman had been dumping the chemical since 1966, and 40 years after its discovery the plume is larger than ever. By Elinor Eppeson. FOR ALL POINTS.
DRONES & SNAKES: Faculty and student researchers from Grand Valley State University are using a drone-mounted camera to locate the rare and secretive eastern massasauga rattlesnake, Michigan’s only venomous snake. We go into the field with them near Hastings to see how it’s done. By Ruth Thorton. FOR ALL POINTS.
INVASIVE CRAYFISH: – Researchers are exploring new techniques to remove an invasive crayfish from Michigan waters. The DNR has been fighting an invasion of red swamp crayfish since they first appeared in the state in 2017 but aggressive attempts to trap and remove the crustacean haven’t worked. By Elinor Epperson. FOR ALL POINTS.
AGING MOOSE: Getting old can be rough. Osteoporosis. Osteoarthritis. Periodontitis – a trio of chronic diseases that make bones fragile, make joints degenerate and make teeth become loose. That triple-whammy also besets moose, say Michigan Technological University and Duke University researchers who’ve studied the bones of 180 moose that died of natural causes in Isle Royale National Park. By Eric Freedman. FOR ALL POINTS.
LAKE ERIE ALGAL BLOOM: Lake Erie’s annual algae bloom has begun to form weeks ahead of schedule off the coast of southeast Michigan, but scientists say they expect only a moderate bloom this year. We hear from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expert. By Gabrielle Nelson. FOR ALL POINTS.
E-BIKES: Officials are considering a controversial proposal to allow increasingly popular electric bicycles to use more state trails. We hear from the League of Michigan Bicyclists and the DNR. By Gabrielle Nelson. FOR ALL POINTS.
DAM REMOVAL: Removal of a 148-year-old dam on the Huron River in Ypsilanti could improve fish habitat, create more green space for recreation and avert the possibility of a damaging dam failure, removal advocates say. But some area residents prefer to have the dam rehabilitated to produce hydropower and preserve its heritage, including the site of an historic paper mill. The Huron River Watershed Council, a city council member and a dam safety expert explain the proposal. DNR and DEGLE support its removal. By Elinor Epperson. FOR ALL POINTS.
LAKE SUPERIOR PRESIDENCY: Yes, Lake Superior is a declared candidate for president of the United States and is in search of a running mate. The self-proclaimed #GLOAT (Greatest Lake Of All Time) is running on a “Water First Agenda,” is active on the social media platform X and maintains a campaign website. We hear from the campaign’s account manager, an MSU science communication expert and the Great Lakes Indian Fisheries and Wildlife Commission. By Elinor Epperson. FOR ALL POINTS.
The Michigan Historic Preservation tax credit, signed into law in 2020, currently allows renovators of historic buildings across the state to apply to receive a portion of a $5 million pool of tax credits. But now, the Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) says that Michigan’s rehabilitation needs are 20 times that amount.
Representative Joey Andrews (D-38) sponsored House Bill 54390, a resolution to expand the Michigan State Historic Preservation Tax Credits pool from $5 million to $100 million.
