This week....
We ran a pretty complex story about some septic waste going onto farm fields in Centerville Township. People are worried about contamination. Things to know:
- There's a lot of moving parts and confusion surrounding rules and regulations.
- The core issue is that a pumping company was applying septage (or waste from septic tanks) onto farm fields and the township said it couldn’t because of local ordinances.
- The company pointed to state law, saying it superseded local law in this case.
- The state agrees with the pumping company; the township is surveying its options, and will discuss the issue at a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Bear attack on Points North
To be clear, the bear is not attacking our podcast. But this week's episode, out Friday, is about a black bear attack on a man and his dog, and two contractors in Minnesota in winter of 2017. Things to know:
- Black bear attacks are incredibly rare. You’re more likely to be struck by lightning.
- When attacks do happen, they’re almost never in winter because bears are famously hibernating.
In case you missed it...
Author Stephanie Carpenter grew up in Traverse City and knows the grounds well. Her new book “Moral Treatment” is a novel influenced by its history. It explores the complexities of mental healthcare in the late 1800s, through the lens of an aging male superintendent and a young woman who was committed by her parents. We talked to Carpenter last week.
In other news...
Miigwech Ink is a new project from journalist Sierra Clark. It is a news source and space for Indigenous Peoples of Michigamiig (Michigan). Check out our conversation with Sierra Clark here.
