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A new funding agreement between the state governments of Michigan and Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide $388 million to start the $1.1 billion Brandon Road Interbasin Project, aimed at preventing invasive species from entering the Great Lakes through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

The Ports of Indiana landed U.S. Customs and Border Protection approval to establish an international sea cargo container terminal, the first in Chicagoland and the first on Lake Michigan. The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor will be able to unload containers, creating an all-water container route for ocean vessels to reach the Chicago market. Read the full story by The Times of Northwest Indiana.

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The Ohio House approved H.B. 599, naming the walleye Ohio’s state fish, by a vote of 94-2. Ohio is one of only three states, along with Indiana and Iowa, without a state fish. Read the full story by The Columbus Dispatch.

The FishPass project in Traverse City, Michigan, replaces the city’s failing dam with a new barrier that allows passage of desirable fish while blocking harmful invaders. $1 million from Michigan’s 2025 state budget will support the final phases of construction of the FishPass, including most of its publicly accessible features. Read the full story by WWTV-TV – Cadillac, MI.

Michigan is looking at ways to reduce the amount of agricultural nutrient pollution getting into Lake Erie, including large- and small- scale wetland restoration projects in southeast Michigan. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

The cleanup of an oily spill in the Flint River in Michigan continues a week after it was first detected, and officials said Tuesday they still don’t know the source. Flint city officials speculate that soil contamination or illegal dumping could be the source of the spill. Read the full story by Michigan Public.

The first week of August will mark ten years since the water crisis in Toledo, Ohio, when many were instructed not to drink, cook with, or bathe in the water for three days. Water quality advocates are disappointed major improvements haven’t been seen in the lake yet. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.

Eight years ago, Oscoda, Michigan, residents were informed that PFAS “forever chemicals” had made their way into the town’s drinking water. The discovery’s impact on tourism is difficult to measure, but both data from the time and sources from the region say it did affect the economy. Read the full story by The Alpena News.

The 20-minute ferry ride across Lake Superior to Madeline Island, Wisconsin, offers not only summer fun but also a glimpse into Great Lakes history. A new exhibit at the Madeline Island Museum highlights the Ojibwe people’s journey and their connection to the island. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Cruise ship season in the Great Lakes is in full swing, and Alpena, Michigan, has seen its fair share of cruise ships anchoring in its waters. Each year since 2022, the number of stops in Alpena has increased because of positive feedback. Read the full story by the Huron Daily Tribune.

Thursday will mark 36 years since the July 4, 1988, disappearance of Lois Hanna, prompting Ontario Provincial Police to renew their call for anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. This story by reporter Kelly Pedro delved into the mystery and was first published in the July 17, 2004, editions of The London Free Press Read More