The Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle reports that a War of 1812-era shipwreck has been discovered in Lake Ontario by the same team that discovered a 1780s-era British warship.  Excerpt and link:

A pair of local shipwreck enthusiasts say they have discovered a 200-year-old dagger-board schooner about 10 miles offshore of Oak Orchard, Orleans County.

The ship — which had apparently been stripped of iron, anchors and even its cabin long before it sank — may have broken loose from moorings somewhere near Toronto while being converted for other uses sometime around the time of the War of 1812, said Jim Kennard of Perinton.

“We don’t believe it was scuttled, it wouldn’t make sense to drag it out that far in the lake to scuttle it,” he said. He said it’s possible the ship was being converted to another type of sailing vessel or perhaps a barge when it broke free.

Full story:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20081212/NEWS01/812120350/1002/NEWS

Many outdoors lovers are just chomping at the bit to get out on the ice.  But the State of Michigan has long argued that there is no “safe” ice.  So, those who venture onto our wintry geographic features are wise to heed to recommendations of a recent Oakland Press article.  Excerpt and link:

Sheriff Michael Bouchard says the most important thing to remember is that “there is no such thing as ice that is 100 percent safe. You need to know the lake and the area. There may be springs and water movement that makes thinner ice in some areas.”

As awkward as it may seem, he suggests carrying a floatation device or even wearing a floatation jacket or suit.

Full story:

http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2008/12/13/trails-the-economic-stimulus-package

Toronto’s Globe and Mail has an interesting story about Detroit and its significance in a recent edition.  Excerpt and link:

DETROIT — In the soaring atrium entrance of the global headquarters of General Motors Corp., you’ve got your Christmas theme and you’ve got your auto theme.

Christmas-wise, note the two majestic trees that rise, at a guess, 40 feet skyward. “Paid $300,000 for the two trees,” says a maintenance worker, adding, “It’s all re-rod inside of there.” Three hundred thou seems a lot. “That was when everything was going good,” Mr. Maintenance says.

The twin trees, with their red star/red ball/red poinsettia adornments, sit adjacent to twin 2009 CXL FWD Buick Enclaves in gold mist metallic with cashmere cocoa accents. Note the leather “seating surfaces,” the leather-wrapped steering wheels and the proudly branded Bose sound system. If you tag $7,315 (U.S.) in options – and, really, who could resist? – onto a base price of $36,440, you’re looking at $43,755 worth of very big car. The ultimate Christmas gift, the ultimate consumer good.

There are no notes of corporate contrition on display. No whiff of the violation of the trust of the American consumer, a message GM suddenly seized upon this week as part of its apologia to the buying class, before the U.S. Senate failed to agree on a proposed bailout, before the auto maker was brought to its knees.

Full story:

http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081212.wrcover1213/BNStory/Business/home

The Library of Michigan has just announced its 2009 Notable Books List.  The Detroit Free Press has a nice overview of the books at the link below.  One book has particularly local appeal.  That excerpt is below:

“The Toledo War: The First Michigan-Ohio Rivalry,” by Don Faber (University of Michigan Press)

Long before their legendary battles on the gridiron, Michigan and Ohio fought over a narrow slice of land in 1835 known as the Toledo Strip. Utilizing newspaper accounts from the era, Faber expertly explores the roots of the conflict, the politically charged environment contributing to Michigan’s delayed admission to the Union, and the many fascinating personalities involved. Although Ohio technically “won” by maintaining possession of the strip, Michigan received a large portion of the Upper Peninsula as a consolation, thereby answering the popular trivia question, “Why is the U.P. part of Michigan?”

Full story:

http://www.freep.com/article/20081209/NEWS06/81209082/1025/rss05

Joel Thurtell is a former Detroit Free Press writer who currently blogs at the web site joelontheroad.  Thurtell wrote the excellent piece that I linked to about the River Rouge in the current edition of the Detroit Metro Times.  On his blog site, he has a beautifully pointed editorial related to Matty Maroun’s Riverside Park land grab underneath his privately-owned Ambassador Bridge.  It’s worth a read:

So, on the U.S. side, Matty took over part of a public park, fencing it off, placing phony “Homeland Security” signs on the fences at the east end of Riverside Park, erasing basketball courts and trees and using the park space to store construction materials.

He did more than that: Back in October, his security chief, Jack Teatsorth, explained that the bridge company did Detroit a favor by padlocking the city’s Riverside Park, replacing city gates and hanging another of Matty’s bogus “Homeland Security” no trespassing signs on the fence.  By court time Dec. 4, Matty’s people were denying they had anything to do with closing the boat ramp.

Full post:

http://joelontheroad.com/?p=1297

Bob Krzewinski, the leader of the effort to create a Washtenaw County Border to Border Trail, is asking for help from residents of the City of Ypsilanti.  He needs residents from all parts of the city to help gain support resolutions from all neighborhood associations.  These resolutions will then be used to qualify for grant monies.  If you are a resident of Ypsilanti, or you know of anyone who is, please click the link below:

http://groups.google.com/group/border-to-border/browse_thread/thread/44e7a33b0f98c873/822ef4822014974c?show_docid=822ef4822014974c&pli=1

The Detroit News reports that the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the non-profit group that is constructing and maintaining the Detroit Riverwalk will announce a major new contribution tomorrow.  The story is actually kind of strange in that it mentions neither the amount nor the source.  One could make the case that this will not be an actual story until tomorrow.  But, it’s good news.  Here’s the link:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081210/BIZ/812100478/1361

Several new links have passed through my reader related to the proposed and controversial dredging project on the Ottawa River.  The river passes through the City of Toledo and Erie Township before flowing into Maumee Bay.  Here are the links:

http://glasscityjungle.com/wordpress/?p=4739

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081209/NEWS16/812090347/-1/RSS10

http://glasscityjungle.com/wordpress/?p=4724

Note: The map above is from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The U.S. EPA has several grant opportunities that our local governments and/or environmental organizations should try for.  Several focus on the problems of phosphorus in lake tributaries and algae in the western basin.  This particular passage caught my eye:

EPA is requesting submissions of applications for a single award totaling approximately
$100,000. This award will support a study for the purpose of better understanding the conditions
preceding, and resulting in, Lake Erie algal bloom development, and may include 24-hour
studies of physical, chemical and biological conditions, longer term physical and chemical
studies and/or datasonde or buoy placements, or other studies concerning factors necessary for
bloom development. The project must at least include the Maumee River and Bay and their
impacts on Lake Erie’s western basin.

Here are several related links:

http://epa.gov/greatlakes/fund/2008Erierfa/index.html

http://epa.gov/greatlakes/fund/2008Erierfa/2008Erierfa.pdf

http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=44239

Note: The lake is too important to let funding opportunities pass by.

If you hike regularly on our region’s trails, you have probably been watched at one time or another by a bobcat.  These animals are notoriously secretive.  And though they are widespread, I’ve never seen one.  The Cleveland Plain Dealer has a report on the increasing numbers of the cats in the State of Ohio.  Excerpt and link:

The snub-tailed big cat — once all but extinct in Ohio — has made a comeback similar to the equally elusive coyote in recent years.

Bobcats have been unofficially sighted in nearly all of the state’s 88 counties over the last decade. The Ohio Division of Wildlife substantiated 51 of those reports last year alone, more than triple the amount from just three years earlier.

“Nobody knows how many bobcats are actually out there exactly, because they are elusive and avoid people — just like coyotes,” said Damon Greer. “But their population is growing, we know that for sure.

“And I bet there’s a lot more out there than even we realize.”

Maybe so, but seeing even one bobcat in the wild is still a thrill for hunters, hikers and even veteran biologists like Greer and Suzie Prange, who works at the state’s Waterloo Wildlife Research Station in Athens.

Full story:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/12/bobcat_population_in_ohio_is_g.html