The Vicksburg Union Depot in the past.

Southwest Michigan train depot chugs onto National Register of Historic Places

HISTORIC DEPOT: A 1904 train depot in Kalamazoo County has arrived on the National Register of Historic Places. The last Grand Trunk Western passenger train stopped at the Vicksburg Union Depot in 1972 and freight service was discontinued two years later but 60 freight trains a day still rumble by the restored depot. By Eric Freedman. FOR STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, COLDWATER AND ALL POINTS.

Rep. Matthew Bierlein R-Vassar.

Proposal would restrict deepfake images depicting sexual content

DEEPFAKES: A Vassar lawmaker wants to crack down on deepfakes, which are photos or videos with digitally altered faces or bodies to appear to be someone else, usually used maliciously or to spread false information. The legislation raises First Amendment free speech questions. Cosponsors include representatives from Metro Detroit. An expert at Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School discusses. By Sophia Ceru. FOR DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Detroit’s Masonic Temple on Temple Street is now a concert and events venue

Repurposed Masonic temples reveal Michigan history

MASONIC TEMPLES: Lansing officials are considering a proposal to convert the historic but vacant Masonic Building into a new city hall. Other former buildings used by the Masons have already been repurposed, such as those in Detroit (concert hall), Big Rapids (bar) and Traverse City (boutique hotel). By Theo Scheer. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE, WKTV, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, DETROIT, GREENVILLE, CORP! AND ALL POINTS.

Proposed project to bring first digital art installation to East Lansing

A proposed location of the vinyl digital art murals on the south wall of the Albert Street parking garage. Picture courtesy of Wendy Sylvester-Rowan. A painted mural on the corner of Michigan Ave and N Harrison Rd photographed on March 11. East Lansing’s public art scene is no stranger to vibrant murals, unique sculptures, and quirky architecture. If it depends on the Art Programming and Placemaking Specialist Wendy Sylvester-Rowan, the city will look even more lively soon.

In 2022, the SEA LIFE Aquarium in Auburn Hills featured artist Hannah Tizedes’ plastic mural of the Great Lakes. She collected all of the pieces from Great Lakes coastlines for over a year.

Great Lakes inspire murals, doodles and poems

MURALS DOODLES POEMS: The Great Lakes inspire Michigan artists and poets. We talk to an artist-activist who organizes community cleanups around Lake Erie through her nonprofit, a Lake Michigan surfer-artist and an MSU professor-poet. By Kayla Nelsen. FOR MONROE, ADRIAN, BLISSFIELD, HOLLAND, LUDINGTON, PETOSKEY, TRAVERSE CITY, CHEBOYGAN, LEELANAU, ST. IGNACE, ALPENA, ALCONA, HARBOR SPRINGS, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, PLANET DETROIT, IRON MOUNTAIN, OCEANA COUNTY,, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Ashley Kern, CEO of SightLine in Hancock

More small businesses embrace artificial intelligence

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SMALL BUSINESS: About one-quarter of small businesses surveyed in the state use AI for tasks such as marketing, data analysis and business operations. MSU and Central Michigan experts point out ethical issues.We hear from a company in Hancock that provides services to Michigan Tech and Grand Valley State, an Ann Arbor company that helps clients reduce food waste and the Small Business Association. For news and business sections. By Theo Scheer. FOR IRON MOUNTAIN, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, CORP!, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, DETROIT, CADILLAC, CLARE COUNTY, CRAWFORD COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.

Photographer Danielle Jorae is the author of a new book about lighthouses in the Lower Peninsula.

Photobook illuminates the beauty of Michigan lighthouses

LIGHTHOUSES BOOK: Portland photographer Danielle Jorae’s new book is about lighthouses of the Lower Peninsula. They include ones at Point Austin, Tawas and Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Huron Lightship in Port Huron. Her new project will look at UP lighthouses. By Clara Lincolnhol. FOR GREENVILLE, WKTV, LEELANAU, TRAVERSE CITY, ALPENA, ALCONA, LANSING CITY PULSE, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, IRON MOUNTAIN, ST. IGNACE, CHEBOYGAN, HOLLAND, OCEANA COUNTY, LUDINGTON, MONROE AND ALL POINTS.

Bullfrogs Ballet students in North Macedonia bow at the end of a performance

Dance groups leap into environmental communication

DANCE & ENVIRONMENT: The MSU Theatre Department and a North Macedonian ballet company are collaborating on the Ripple Effect, a project that addresses environmental issues that both North Macedonians and Michigan residents face, like water and industrial pollution. For news and entertainment sections. By Reese Carlson. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Genevieve Fox, far right, and other journalists tour the Carmeuse Lime Manufacturing Plant in River Rogue, and hear Simone Sagovic, the project manager at the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition, speak about health problems of people living nearby.

Reporting on the environment is a tough job

ENVIRONMENTAL FESTIVAL: The Great Lakes Environmental Festival will take place in Manistee in April. We talked to environmental journalist Genevieve Fox, who will speak at the festival and the University of Detroit Mercy professor who organized the event. By Clara Lincolnhol. FOR LUDINGTON, PLANET DETROIT, DETROIT, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS AND ALL POINTS.