Lawmakers want more local authority over ORVs

By ANJANA SCHROEDER
Capital News Service
LANSING – Northern Michigan local governments may soon be able to authorize off-road vehicle (ORV) regulations and ordinances. Rep. Joel Johnson, R-Clare, said he is trying to make it easier for ORV riders to use the designated trail systems within the counties in northern Michigan. The proposal would allow local governments to adopt ordinances to permit ORV riders to avoid the long detours between designated ORV routes. Riders could either drive on shoulders of state trunk line highways or local governments could authorize connections on dislocated segments of ORV trails in certain northern roadways, including ones in Mason, Gladwin, Wexford and Crawford counties. Johnson’s bill would give the state Transportation Department 60 days to decide if local governments could authorize such ordinances.

Wildlife moves north, south, as climate warms, forest regrow

By SILU GUO
Capital News Service
LANSING – Bears, porcupines, bobcats and pileated woodpeckers are moving their homes far to the south, while small mammals like mice, squirrels, chipmunks and opossums are moving north, according to the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy. This mutual shift in wildlife distributions and densities – together with an exploding population of certain species – is becoming evident in many locations across the state. John Niewoonder, a Department of Natural Resources(DNR) state wildlife biologist based in Grand Rapids, said the best example is the black bear. “Black bears are rare, even seven years ago in Grand Rapids. Usually they appear in the Upper North, but this year we see them outside the city.”

“People saw bears a couple of years ago in the Lansing area.

Virus risks still high in northern Michigan, experts warn

By LAUREN GENTILE
CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE
LANSING — Although temperatures are beginning to drop as summer winds down, the risk for insect-borne illness is still on the rise in northern Michigan. The highest risk for contracting an insect-borne illness like West Nile or Eastern equine encephalitis occurs between August and early October, according to the Department of Community Health. “We don’t see a rise in cases of West Nile until mid-August and this year is up from last year a lot,” said Angela Minicuci, public information officer for Community Health. West Nile is spread by a mosquito species that easily reproduces in a warm, dry climate. With the little rainfall Michigan has had over the summer, the population of these mosquitoes has risen, said Minicuci.