Lisa John Rogers
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lisajohn.bsky.social
Lisa John Rogers
@lisajohn.bsky.social
News editor at Great Lakes Now (Detroit PBS). I write a bimonthly roundup on the latest PFAS news from around the region. Find it at greatlakesnow.org and follow our work at @greatlakesnow.bsky.social / art criticism other places
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
"To avoid deer-vehicle collisions, remember to drive at safe speeds and remain buckled. Be cautious during evening hours, use high beams as often as possible in the darkness and watch for the reflection of deer eyes."

streets.mn/2025/12/19/d...
Deer Highway: How the U.S. Route 14 Reconstruction was Retrofitted to Prevent Wildlife Collisions
A quiet culvert along Highway 14 reveals how Minnesota engineers retrofitted a major reconstruction project to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
streets.mn
December 19, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
In "Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy," author Thomas Nelson explores how the Edmund Fitzgerald is more than just the subject of a popular song.

News Editor @lisajohn.bsky.social spoke with Nelson about his book and more: youtu.be/qjblVccD2oo
Why the Edmund Fitzgerald is More Than a Maritime Tragedy | Great Lakes Now
YouTube video by Great Lakes Now
youtu.be
December 18, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
At Farrand Hall, chefs don’t just source their ingredients. They forage for them. What began as a vacation home for owners James Gray and Jacob Hagan has grown into a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

GLN News Editor @lisajohn.bsky.social visited Farrand Hall to learn more: youtu.be/ISnwxwTUcKQ
At This Michigan Restaurant, Chefs Forage For Your Food | Great Lakes Now
YouTube video by Great Lakes Now
youtu.be
December 12, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
For decades, Parkinson’s research has focused on genetics, on finding the rogue letters in our genome that cause this incurable disease. But researchers are looking at another unsuspecting cause: environmental factors.
Scientists Thought Parkinson’s Was in Our Genes. It Might Be in the Water
New ideas about chronic illness could revolutionize treatment, if we take the research seriously.
www.wired.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
“I’ve been amazed by the groundswell of grassroots, bipartisan opposition to this....everyone is affected by this, the opposition has been across the political spectrum. A lot of people don’t see the benefits coming from AI and feel they will be paying for it"
More than 200 environmental groups demand halt to new US datacenters
Exclusive: Congress urged to act against energy-hungry facilities blamed for increasing bills and worsening climate crisis
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
Before farms and suburbs, the Great Black Swamp thrived. Restoring it could help curb Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms today.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/the-...
The history of taming the Great Black Swamp | Great Lakes Now
Before farms and suburbs, the Great Black Swamp thrived. Restoring it could help curb Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms today.
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 24, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
As renewables eat into the energy market + EVs reduce demand for petrol, fossil fuel firms aim to step up production of plastics + chemicals made from oil + gas. By mid-century, half of growth in demand for oil is predicted to come from making more plastic + chemicals. A must read 👇🏾
November 19, 2025 at 5:50 PM
In national news, the Trump administration is set to approve a pesticide known as TFA, a known PFAS. The EPA plans to narrow the largest federal data collection on PFAS, and manufacturing groups reported to the DOJ and NEC on how state chemical laws are "harming" the economy.
In the latest PFAS news roundup:

690,000 customers in Pennsylvania are eligible for a water bill credit, a “cover-up” in Canada’s North Bay and Wisconsin legislators estimate pollution cleanup could cost several billion dollars.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/more...
$18M approved in bill credits for Pennsylvania customers in ‘forever chemicals’ settlement | Great Lakes Now
More PFAS news with a “cover-up” in Canada’s North Bay, and Wisconsin legislators estimating pollution cleanup could cost several billion dollars.
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 19, 2025 at 9:13 PM
"Michiganders report disabilities at a higher rate than most Americans — 9.5% of Michiganders aged 18-34 compared to the 8.6% among the same age group of Americans, and 14.4% of Michiganders 35 to 64 years compared to 12.6% of the same age group Americans."
November 19, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
Stanton Yards, a Detroit riverfront development, aims to be a gathering place where people find inspiration in art and reconnect with nature 🌲

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/detr...
Stanton Yards development merges art, nature on Detroit River, envisions ‘thriving new community destination’ | Great Lakes Now
A waterfront extension of Detroit’s Little Village cultural development is planned as a 13-acre public gathering place.
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 14, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
Drivers around the Great Lakes region beware! In the weeks following “fall back,” collisions between wildlife and vehicles rises by 16%.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/road...
Roads in the Great Lakes region get riskier after daylight saving ends | Great Lakes Now
Darker commutes and seasonal animal patterns make late fall one of the most dangerous times on regional roads.
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Darker commutes and seasonal animal patterns make late fall one of the most dangerous times of the year, especially in the Great Lakes region.

Here's what to know:

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/road...
Roads in the Great Lakes region get riskier after daylight saving ends | Great Lakes Now
Darker commutes and seasonal animal patterns make late fall one of the most dangerous times on regional roads.
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 11, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
50 years ago today, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank and 29 lives were lost.

A new excerpt from “Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy” looks at the legal battles families faced in the aftermath.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/fift...
Fifty years later: The little-known story of the families the Fitz left behind | Great Lakes Now
After the Edmund Fitzgerald sank, grieving families faced another storm: unequal insurance payouts, corporate pressure and a legal system stacked against them.
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
It's #GarWeek! Celebrate these living fossils by learning all about what makes this freshwater species known as "trash fish" so special in our latest conversation with @solomonrdavid.bsky.social.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw84...
Why Gars Deserve a Week of Their Own | Great Lakes Now
YouTube video by Great Lakes Now
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Loved getting this pitch.

We loved this story so much that we turned it into a segment for the November episode of @greatlakesnow.bsky.social. Which means some of our team (including me) ended up eating here. The whole experience was so memorable. Absolutely worth the drive.
Situated in a town of a little over a thousand people in Colon, Michigan, is an idyllic and pastoral outdoor dining experience. It’s become a hub for city folks traveling from Chicago, Detroit and Ann Arbor who are yearning to dine amongst tall timbers.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/goin...
Going Country at Farrand Hall | Great Lakes Now
How a small town dining experience is bringing the farm to the table.
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
For #GarWeek, here is a juvenile gar from southern Green Bay that we encountered this summer. Look that those pectoral fins go! After length measurement, this fish was released on site. #GreatLakes
November 5, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
An internal memo from Ontario’s electricity system operator outlines concerns with TC Energy’s large pumped storage proposal in Meaford, including cost overruns and an inability to meet short-term energy needs.

Story by @thenarwhal.ca:
www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/onta...
Ontario is subsidizing an energy project in Georgian Bay despite expert advice | Great Lakes Now
An internal memo from Ontario’s electricity system operator outlines concerns with TC Energy’s large pumped storage proposal in Meaford, including cost overruns and an inability to meet short-term ene...
www.greatlakesnow.org
November 4, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
Electricity prices are rising everywhere, with some experts referring to them as the "new eggs" in the cost of living crisis.

For older people on fixed incomes, it's yet another strain on their finances. Women in particular are worried.

19thnews.org/2025/11/olde...
‘Everything goes up except income’: Older women are struggling to keep up with rising electricity costs
As rates spike across the nation, penny-pinching isn’t feeling like enough for people on fixed incomes.
19thnews.org
November 4, 2025 at 4:09 PM
It's #GarWeek! @solomonrdavid.bsky.social sat down with Great Lakes Now to discuss this misunderstood & ancient freshwater fish.

Learn all about my new favorite fish & why researchers are exploring how gar genetics could help us understand human disease evolution.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw84...
Why Gars Deserve a Week of Their Own | Great Lakes Now
YouTube video by Great Lakes Now
www.youtube.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I recently got the chance to speak with @talkecontome.bsky.social about a new study that looked at suicide rates in metropolitan areas around the U.S. and how this could help expand public health protocols to better support people in vulnerable mental health situations.
October 28, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
The US Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, formerly maintained by NOAA, has a new home at @climatecentral.org, with the latest available data through June 2025. Explore the data:
Now at Climate Central: U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | Climate Central
Climate Central is restarting this publicly accessible database that shines a light on the rising toll of weather and climate disasters.
buff.ly
October 26, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
Local officials see millions of dollars in tax revenue, but more than 950 residents who signed ballot petitions fear endless noise, pollution and higher electric rates.

Story by @insideclimatenews.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/10/mich...
A Michigan town hopes to stop a data center with a 2026 ballot initiative | Great Lakes Now
Local officials see millions of dollars in tax revenue, but more than 950 residents who signed ballot petitions fear endless noise, pollution and higher electric rates.
www.greatlakesnow.org
October 16, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
UPDATE: The St. Clair health board voted to endorse the proposal to take steps to prohibit the addition of fluoride to public water supplies.

The medical director's recommended restrictions could potentially apply to the Great Lakes Water Authority, which provides water to nearly 40% of Michigan.
Health panel endorses move to prohibit water fluoridation
St. Clair County’s health board endorsed Dr. Nevin’s plan to bar fluoridation, citing new research and a recent federal court ruling.
www.thetimesherald.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Reposted by Lisa John Rogers
Hundreds of shipwrecks lie beneath the waves of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. 🚢🌊

Ian Solomon set out to explore this underwater museum, from exhibits at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, to a glass-bottom boat tour, and even snorkeling above a sunken ship.

youtu.be/Ptovlkw2zmk
Exploring Thunder Bay's Sunken Wrecks | Great Lakes Now
YouTube video by Great Lakes Now
youtu.be
October 8, 2025 at 7:24 PM
How Buffalo, New York has adapted to and embraced an influx of climate migrants.

This is the final installment in @greatlakesnow.bsky.social's 3-part series on climate migration in the region:

www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/10/how-...
How Buffalo, New York has adapted to and embraced an influx of climate migrants | Great Lakes Now
For the first time in 70 years, Buffalo’s population is rising, partly due to Puerto Ricans relocating after the devastation of hurricanes Irma and Maria.
www.greatlakesnow.org
October 7, 2025 at 8:21 PM