Web model shows currents in the Straits

By KATE HABREL
Capital News Service
LANSING — You can watch how water flows through the Straits of Mackinac with an online animation that shows how it switches directions and reaches speeds as fast as some Great Lakes rivers. The animations are produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). While they’re not updated in real time, they’re meant to show the predictability of the currents in the Straits. And that’s important to help freighter captains predict the speed and direction of currents through the region and for search and rescue operations to find lost people and boats. “We got a lot of press calls about the Straits and people wanting information,” said Kaye LaFond, a NOAA graphic designer who created the page.

Mackinac summer means new businesses, exhibits

By EDITH ZHOU
Capital News Service
LANSING – New businesses, new history exhibits and new members of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission kick off the island’s approaching tourism season. Named as the 8th most-pristine destination island in the world by National Geographic, Mackinac Island attracts more than 1 million visitors each year, according to the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. As the second-largest industry in the state, tourism brings in more than $17 billion annually, according to a report from Michigan State University. Mary McGuire, executive director of the bureau, said several new businesses that offer recreational activities will open this season, including Great Turtle Kayaking, Green Planet Extreme Kayaking Tours and Spirit of the North Yoga. “The businesses here do all they can to update each season.