« November 2006 | Main | January 2007 »
December 28, 2006
European invader found in channel
By Jeff Alexander
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
A species of shrimp previously found only in the seas of eastern Europe has now been discovered half a world away -- in the Muskegon Lake Channel. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:20 AM
Shrimp joins Great Lakes invader list
Add a bug-eyed shrimp to the ballooning list of Great Lakes invaders that has likely hitchhiked its way into the region aboard an overseas freighter, and nobody can say we didn't have fair warning it was coming. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:19 AM
Hope for trout in Lake Michigan
MUSKEGON, Mich. -- A half-century after lake trout disappeared from Lake Michigan, the fish appears to be making a comeback. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:17 AM
Will permits hurt shipping industry?
Maureen Feighan | / The Detroit News
Shipping industry leaders are warning that Michigan's sour economy could take another hit if state officials move forward with a landmark plan to regulate ballast water in oceangoing ships. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:16 AM
DNR says Perch and walleye numbers are on the wane
By anyone's estimate, the 2006 walleye and perch fishing on the Detroit River and Lake Erie was some of the best ever, especially for walleyes. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:14 AM
Wild Oats XI takes back to back line honours
The Australian maxi Wild Oats XI has taken back-to-back line honours wins in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the first time this has happened since 1964 and only the sixth time in the event's 62 year history. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:12 AM
December 22, 2006
Shrimp joins Great Lakes invader list
By DAN EGAN
Add a bug-eyed shrimp to the ballooning list of Great Lakes invaders that has likely hitchhiked its way into the region aboard an overseas freighter, and nobody can say we didn't have fair warning it was coming. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:08 PM
DNR says Perch and walleye numbers are on the wa
By anyone's estimate, the 2006 walleye and perch fishing on the Detroit River and Lake Erie was some of the best ever, especially for walleyes. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:06 PM
Ferry awaits sale in Nova Scotia port
Brian Sharp
Staff writer
Rochester–The ferry is gone. But it is not sold. By this morning, the Spirit of Ontario likely completed the trip from the Port of Rochester to Cape Vincent and entered the St. Lawrence Seaway, leaving behind the Great Lakes en route to an eventual Atlantic voyage. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:04 PM
December 21, 2006
Ogdensburg historic fort gets boost
OGDENSBURG (AP) — ExxonMobil Corp. has agreed to pay $6 million for the cleanup of petroleum contamination at the site of a historic fort on the St. Lawrence River, state Comptroller Alan Hevesi said Wednesday. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:55 PM
Historical society ensures Harrisville lighthouse will keep shining
By ERIC ENGLISH
TIMES WRITER
HARRISVILLE - There's some light at the end of the tunnel for an old Alcona County lighthouse in danger of being shut down. The U.S. Coast Guard has agreed to keep the beacon at Sturgeon Point shining until a local historical group can take over operation of the 136-year-old tower and its Fresnel lens light. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:54 PM
Duluth's "new" crib washes ashore
by Stephanie Hemphill
Minnesota Public Radio
Duluth, Minn. — Lake Superior's notorious northeasterly winds pelted Duluth for several days in late November. One morning, people noticed a wooden structure about the size of a three-car garage wedged into a bed of gravel just below Duluth's Lakewalk. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:51 PM
December 20, 2006
Project revives habitat
Darren A. Nichols
The Detroit News
DEARBORN -- The five-year project to restore a portion of the long-polluted Rouge River to its natural state is nearly complete. more
Posted by Kenan at 12:36 PM
US Sailing Seeks Nominations for Coaches of the Year Award
Portsmouth, R.I. (December 15, 2006) – US SAILING’s Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) seeks nominations for the 2006 Coaches of the Year Awards. The awards are a part of the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) Coach Recognition Program which highlights the accomplishments and contributions of coaches who train athletes at all levels of sailing. more
Posted by Kenan at 10:33 AM
December 19, 2006
State ready to give Nestle the OK on water proposal
BY DAWSON BELL
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
State environmental regulators announced Monday that they are prepared to sign off on a proposal from Nestle Waters of North America, bottlers of Ice Mountain brand bottled water, to withdraw about 216,000 gallons of water per day from a new well near Evart in Osceola County. more
Posted by Kenan at 03:39 PM
Lakes plan for live fire is scuttled
By Michael Hawthorne
Tribune staff reporter
The idea of turning the Great Lakes into a giant shooting range didn't sit well with boaters, anglers or politicians, especially since it almost happened with little public notice. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:07 AM
Coast Guard Target-Practice Plan Misfires
By Kari Lydersen
Washington Post Staff Writer
CHICAGO, Dec. 18 -- The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday that it has withdrawn a proposal to conduct target practice with machine guns in 34 zones in the Great Lakes. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:06 AM
December 18, 2006
Rehab plans mean Dossin Great Lakes Museum will temporarily close
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum, on Belle Isle, will close for a makeover after Dec. 30 and is scheduled to reopen March 24, Detroit Historical Society executive director Bob Bury said Thursday. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:17 PM
Speculations could dry up Great Lakes water accord
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Concern over Ohio's power under a water-rights agreement with fellow Great Lakes states and Canada has stalled the measure's adoption at the Ohio Statehouse. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:16 PM
Gull Rock, Manitou Island lighthouses receive grants
Two Lake Superior lighthouses were among eight receiving $233,000 in grants from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program Tuesday. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:15 PM
Salmon Pose a Mystery
Naturalists and nature lovers who know the shores of Lake Ontario well are stumped about why salmon have been traveling up a small stream to the Glimmerglass Lagoon on the State University College at Oswego campus this fall. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:13 PM
U.S. political shift could affect our lakes
JIM BYERS
TORONTO STAR
The recent change in the makeup of the U.S. Congress could have a big impact on the environment in Toronto and a wide area of Canada, says Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:57 AM
Tug salvage operation resumes
By JACK STOREY
The Evening News
DEER PARK - Attempts to remove the remaining fuel from the grounded tug Seance apparently resumed on Saturday with arrival of a second barge and salvage crew on the scene, about four miles east of here. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:56 AM
Documentary follows cutter Mackinaw on icebreaking voyage
The Associated Press
HOUGHTON, Mich. (AP) — A Great Lakes historical filmmaker has produced a new documentary about the final icebreaking voyage of the original U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw before its decommissioning. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:52 AM
December 15, 2006
Speculations could dry up Great Lakes water accord
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Concern over Ohio’s power under a water-rights agreement with fellow Great Lakes states and Canada has stalled the measure’s adoption at the Ohio Statehouse. more
Posted by Kenan at 02:27 PM
Gull Rock, Manitou Island lighthouses receive grants
By GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer
KEWEENAW COUNTY — Two Lake Superior lighthouses were among eight receiving $233,000 in grants from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program Tuesday. more
Posted by Kenan at 02:26 PM
Rehab plans mean Dossin Great Lakes Museum will temporarily close
By MARTIN F. KOHN
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum, on Belle Isle, will close for a makeover after Dec. 30 and is scheduled to reopen March 24, Detroit Historical Society executive director Bob Bury said Thursday. more
Posted by Kenan at 02:24 PM
Jan 9-14
Kansas City Sportshow
H. Roe Bartle Hall
Kansas City, MO
www.kansascitysportshow.com
Posted by Kenan at 11:07 AM
December 14, 2006
Ohio House OKs Great Lakes protection, but cloud looms
By JIM PROVANCE
COLUMBUS - The Ohio House yesterday voted 81-5 to jump-start a bill designed to give eight states and two Canadian provinces the power to prevent diversion of increasingly valuable Great Lakes water. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:36 PM
Lake Superior slide brushes new record territory
By JACK STOREY/The Evening News
DETROIT - November water levels on the three Upper Great Lakes continued to run from well below average to near-record territory, according to the Corps of Engineers. more
Posted by Kenan at 01:35 PM
December 13, 2006
GREENWAY: Coalition concerns take center stage
By Aaron Besecker, Niagara Gazette
Calls for minor and major changes to the draft plan for the Niagara River Greenway were aired during a public hearing held at Conference Center Niagara Falls on Tuesday evening. more
Posted by Kenan at 02:29 PM
Hoosier-craft Lake Michigan vehicle could travel from Gary to Chicago in 15 minutes
By JON SEIDEL Post Tribune
Gary Mayor Rudy Clay has an answer for commuters who are sick of Toll Road or Borman Expressway traffic: a water ride. A hovercraft floating over Lake Michigan from Gary's shores to Chicago's harbor would take 15 minutes and cost $7 per passenger, said John Ramirez, a Gary businessman. more
Posted by Kenan at 02:16 PM
December 12, 2006
Superior’s gales claim Duluth tug
BY PETER PASSI, Duluth News Tribune
With rough weather approaching, the U.S. Coast Guard was forced to temporarily call off cleanup efforts early Monday afternoon where a Duluth-based tugboat is beached about 21 miles east of Grand Marais, Mich. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:33 AM
Wreck located in Lake Ontario
BEN DOBBIN ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - After more than 160 years, the twin masts of the Milan still stand erect — all the more remarkable because the commercial sailing ship sits in the dark depths of Lake Ontario. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:30 AM
700 scientists: Toughen pollution laws
CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — Hundreds of Canadian scientists are calling on the federal government to do more to protect citizens from a growing pollution problem that threatens human health. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:29 AM
December 11, 2006
Great Lakes Area Tries to Dodge a Bullet
By Peter Slevin, Washington Post Staff Writer
CHICAGO--U.S. Coast Guard vessels staging machine-gun target practice in the peaceable Great Lakes? George Heartwell does not like the idea, not one little bit. He questions the need, the risk and the appearance. more
Posted by Kenan at 12:35 PM
Yes, You Can Surf in Cleveland, Before the Brown Water Freezes
By CHRISTOPHER MAAG, New York Times
CLEVELAND, Dec. 9 — They surf in Cleveland because they must. They surf with two-inch icicles clinging to their wet suits, through stinging hail and overpowering wind. They work nights to spend their winter days scouting surf. They are watermen on an inland sea. more
Posted by Kenan at 12:34 PM
Great Lakes compact at the center of great debate
By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY
The Milwaukee suburb of New Berlin gets half its water from the Great Lakes and half from underground wells that are tainted with radium, a radioactive element. The city of 38,500 has a simple solution to its water problem: draw more water from Lake Michigan, 10 miles away. That probably won't happen. more
Posted by Kenan at 12:32 PM
Congress kills bill providing $10 million for Lake St. Clair
By Chad Selweski
$10 million federal allocation to battle pollution in Lake St. Clair went down the drain this week as congressional negotiators could not reach agreement on a massive bill to fund 700 water projects across the nation. more
Posted by Kenan at 10:45 AM
Tough times for Lakes: commissioner
By SARAH ELIZABETH BROWN
From invasive carp so big they've been known to knock out boaters, to gravel pits marring the North Shore's good looks, the health of the Great Lakes was up for discussion Thursday evening. morehttp://66.244.236.251/article_9951.php
Posted by Kenan at 10:42 AM
Disease looms as next big fish threat
By Howard Meyerson
The Grand Rapids Press
State fish experts say it is just a matter of time before viral hemorrhagic septicemia moves into Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. more
Posted by Kenan at 10:39 AM
Grounded tug worries Coast Guard, tribes
By JACK STOREY/The Evening News
DEER PARK - Cast adrift in a sudden Lake Superior gale last Saturday, the 88-foot tug Seneca lies aground on the sandy bottom about 50 yards offshore of one of the more remote stretches of Superior shoreline, making for a thorny salvage job. more
Posted by Kenan at 10:33 AM
Retired Coast Guardsman pushes boater safety
By Michael Buck
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Drunken boaters ramming their watercrafts into seawalls and breakwaters.
Broadside collisions from naive captains unable to control their boats and recognize warning lights in crowded conditions. more
Posted by Kenan at 10:26 AM
Mystery of the canal freeze, thaw revealed
Tanya Berkebile, Cadillac News
CADILLAC - To many, it is a mystery.
Year after year, when the snow sweeps in the area and thermometers dip down below freezing, a sheet of ice forms over the canal connecting lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. more
Posted by Kenan at 10:24 AM
Closing of perch business possible
By Bob Downing
Beacon Journal staff writer
Ohio officials are trying to work out a compromise on a state proposal to spend $4 million to purchase the remaining 43 Ohio commercial yellow perch fishing licenses on Lake Erie. more
Posted by Kenan at 10:21 AM
December 08, 2006
Stop the sewage
Cleaning up the Great Lakes won't be cheap or easy. But it has to be done -- and can be -- as the City of Grand Rapids has shown. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:47 PM
Lake Superior shipping, fishing threatened by low water levels
DULUTH, Minn. -- Lake Superior's late-autumn water levels are at their lowest in 80 years, sparking concerns that the rapid fall of the world's largest freshwater lake could hurt shipping, shorelines and fish populations. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:46 PM
Congress approves bill to preserve Michigan lighthouses
WASHINGTON -- Congress approved a bill Wednesday to promote Michigan's lighthouses, creating partnerships to restore the beacons along the state's shoreline. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:44 PM
Michigan hunting, fishing fees could double under plan
By TIM MARTIN
A committee that wants to double some hunting and fishing license fees in Michigan has begun the slow, uphill battle to convince state lawmakers the increases are needed. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:43 PM
Marina District on 'wish list' for state funds
By JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU
COLUMBUS - Ohio lawmakers yesterday opened their $1.8 billion sack of goodies for projects across the state, including a proposed $3 million for Toledo's Marina District amphitheater and $1 million toward the University of Toledo's Technology and Incubation Center. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:40 PM
Ready your boat for winter
Unless you have a garage or one of those fancy plastic pole barns, you have two choices in protecting your boat for the winter. You can pay a marina or boat yard to have it winterized and stored, or you can store it in your back yard or driveway. If you choose the latter, there are several things that you can and must do to safeguard that expensive investment. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:35 AM
December 07, 2006
New funding would aid pollution fight
By LEE BERGQUIST
Madison - The Natural Resources Board voted Wednesday to add $15.5 million in bonding authority to fund pollution programs, rejected nearly $3.5 million in funding cuts and agreed to new fees for boaters and campers. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:57 AM
Congress approves bill to preserve Michigan lighthouses
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Congress approved a bill Wednesday to promote Michigan's lighthouses, creating partnerships to restore the beacons along the state's shoreline. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:54 AM
Trust fund awards $36 million for Michigan natural resources projects
By JOHN FLESHER
AP Environmental Writer
Forests, parks, waterways and nature trails around Michigan will be expanded or improved with more than $36 million in grants endorsed Wednesday by a state trust fund observing its 30th anniversary. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:50 AM
November 24-December 9
Dutch Winterfest
Holland, MI
800-506-1299
Posted by Kenan at 10:06 AM
December 06, 2006
Officials: Algae causing shoreline muck
Kate Finneren
The Huron Daily Tribune
CASEVILLE — A visiting scientist said algae is the cause of muck that’s been plaguing many local shoreline property owners over the past few years. "The algae growth leads to the problem that's of most concern in this area, and that's the formation of muck on the shorelines," said Juli Dyble, a biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. more
Posted by Kenan at 03:12 PM
Where has the water gone?
By JOHN PEPIN, Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE — It may be snowing outside, but meteorologists say drier than normal conditions over much of the Upper Peninsula are expected to continue. “We’re in a deficit for total precipitation,” said David Pearson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Negaunee Township. “Since June, every month has been in a deficit. more
Posted by Kenan at 03:08 PM
Environmentalists take steps to sue Coast Guard
By Shannon Jones
Staff Reporter
The battle over permanent live-fire zones being established in the Great Lakes is far from over as a Minnesota environmental group has put the U.S. Coast Guard on notice that they are firing back, with intent to sue in federal court. more
Posted by Kenan at 03:00 PM
December 05, 2006
Ohio close to approving water deal
By TOM HENRY
BLADE STAFF WRITER
In the waning days of his scandal-ridden administration, Gov. Bob Taft will likely walk away with one of his most coveted political victories in hand: Legislative support for a proposed regional water compact that would give the eight Great Lakes states unprecedented power over the lakes. more
Posted by Kenan at 04:33 PM
December 04, 2006
Aircraft able to track tankers at night ready
By TARA BRAUTIGAM The Canadian Press
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Ottawa will unveil a surveillance aircraft Friday capable of tracking tankers that dump their waste into the ocean in the dead of night, says a source close to the project. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:49 AM
Nearly $1M set aside for waterfront projects
Two developments along Buffalo's expansive waterfront will receive $959,100 in funding from New York state.
Secretary of State Christopher Jacobs designated the money for work on the Frank Lloyd Wright Boathouse and the Ohio Street Public Access and Hamburg Street Boat Launch along the Buffalo River. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:47 AM
Meijer donates $450,000 to fight spread of invasive plants
By MARTY HAIR
The Nature Conservancy and Meijer stores are joining forces to battle the spread of invasive plants.
Leaders of the non-profit organization and the retailer were scheduled to outline the new plan earlier today an event in Grand Rapids, where Meijer is based. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:44 AM
Port of Buffalo sees big rise in cargo
Shipping isn't the economic mainstay it used to be, but the Port of Buffalo in Lackawanna is seeing a dramatic rise in cargo - which quadrupled to 200,000 metric tons last year - bringing recognition from Washington. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:42 AM
Enforcement called lax on overbagging
D'Arcy Egan
Plain Dealer Columnist
Ohio's commercial fishermen are in hot water this week as committees in both the Ohio House and Senate wrestle with legislation to buy out the Lake Erie industry. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:41 AM
Bottler aims to take more from rivers
By Jeff Alexander
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Nestle Waters North America Inc. is gearing up for a major expansion of its Michigan water bottling business with a plan that targets some of the area's most treasured river systems. more
Posted by Kenan at 11:37 AM
From nuclear plant to park?
BY TINA LAM
FOR SALE: 450 acres -- including 1 1/2 miles of picturesque Lake Michigan shoreline -- in a prime vacation area north of Charlevoix. Price: $19.3 million. Just one hitch. The land is the former home of the Big Rock nuclear plant and surrounds an area containing 441 bundles of highly radioactive spent fuel rods. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:18 AM
Nearly $1M set aside for waterfront projects
Business First of Buffalo
Two developments along Buffalo's expansive waterfront will receive $959,100 in funding from New York state. more
Posted by Kenan at 09:16 AM