Latest news with #LakeErie
CBS News
18 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Trail repairs continue at Sterling State Park, one fishing pier now is closed
Another section of Sterling State Park in Monroe County has been closed off as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources continues a series of trail and parking area repairs. The trail closings this season are restricting much of the area around Hunt Club Marsh, North Lagoon and South Lagoon that are popular for running, bicycling, bird watching and dog walking. The work includes shoreline stabilization, erosion control, tree root removal and bridge repairs. The goal is to reopen that area in mid-August. The trails that remain open are along the beach, campground and boat launch sections of the park near Lake Erie. "While significant progress has been made, there's still more to do," the park posted on social media Saturday. The new closings that started Tuesday include the Trailhead Parking Lot and the south fishing pier. Contractors are now working on the replacement of the fishing pier area near that parking lot. The north fishing pier will remain open, but anglers will need to park at the beach parking lot and then walk over, the park said. Sterling State Park is near Monroe in Frenchtown Township, east of Interstate 75's Exit 15.
CBC
20 hours ago
- CBC
Father, 35, found dead in Lake Erie after being pulled under swimming
Emergency crews recovered the body of a 35-year-old man from Woodstock Monday after he was pulled under off the shores of Port Burwell Provincial Park the day before. Police said the man, who had been swimming with his teenage daughter at the beach, did not resurface when the pair got into trouble in the water around 3 p.m. Sunday. "What I've been told by witnesses is that dad was able to push the daughter closer to the shoreline. Two good Samaritans were able to grab onto the daughter and pull her to shore," Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said. Police were not identifying the man, but earlier in the day, Sanchuk said his thoughts were with the family. Police worked with members of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton to find the missing swimmer using boats, as well as drones and a helicopter. He warned people that the currents on Lake Erie are strong and swimmers should wear life jackets.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Efforts to reduce toxic algae in Lake Erie appear to be making progress. Now they face budget cuts
Photo of a 2009 algal bloom in Lake Erie | NASA This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. Cuts to a major water-quality program in Ohio's biennial budget will likely weaken efforts to control the spread of toxic blue-green algae in Lake Erie. The program in question, H2Ohio, has invested millions of dollars in improving water quality throughout the state. Much of that money has gone toward cutting off the supply of nutrients to the aforementioned algae, also known as cyanobacteria, which bloom in massive quantities every summer. The new state budget, which Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law on July 1, drastically cuts funding for those efforts. Large blooms of cyanobacteria cause problems for pretty much everything that isn't algae. They block sunlight and create aquatic 'dead zones' where there isn't enough dissolved oxygen for other organisms to survive. They also release toxins that pose significant health risks to humans, especially to people with pre-existing conditions. David Kennedy, a professor of medicine at the University of Toledo, described a case of a 7-year-old girl with asthma who was exposed to cyanobacteria while swimming in Maumee Bay. 'Her asthma was exacerbated to the point where she needed to be intubated and had a very long, complicated stay in our medical center,' Kennedy said. The girl did eventually recover. By reducing the nutrients entering the lake each year, scientists and environmental stewards hope to limit how big the algal blooms get. The main culprit is phosphorus, a key component in agricultural fertilizers, both commercially produced and via manure. 'Whenever it rains, that water goes into the soil, it dissolves the phosphorus just like your sugar in a coffee, and then that water leaves the field carrying the dissolved phosphorus,' said Chris Winslow, director of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program at the Ohio State University. Some of that water finds its way to the Maumee River, then into western Lake Erie, where the phosphorus it carries becomes food for cyanobacteria. The more phosphorus the Maumee brings into the lake, the bigger the bloom that year. Nathan Manning of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Ohio's Heidelberg University said as of June 16 this year, researchers had measured 227 metric tons of dissolved phosphorus flowing out of the Maumee. That puts the likely total for the summer around 235 to 273 metric tons. 'The target … for dissolved reactive phosphorus is 240 metric tons. So there's a good chance that we will stay below or right at that target, which is good news,' Manning said. Winslow said that's a sign everyone's efforts are paying off, though he cautioned that it's impossible to say for sure unless those efforts are scaled back. 'We assume these things are doing great jobs to trap nutrients, but the only way you know is to stop doing it. So if we go next year, and see that the dissolved phosphorus goes up and these programs are no longer there, it's a good indication that they were working,' Winslow said. With the cuts to H2Ohio, that proof may come sooner rather than later. Since its inception in 2019, the program has tackled the phosphorus problem in two ways: by incentivizing farmers to change their practices, and by funding the construction and maintenance of wetlands. On the agricultural side, the Ohio Department of Agriculture uses H2Ohio money to help farmers limit how much fertilizer runs off their fields. That includes testing soil to determine how much fertilizer a farmer should apply in the first place, as well as training on things like manure management and overwinter cover crops. Thanks to H2Ohio, farmers don't have to pay for those changes themselves. Wetland management, which falls under the purview of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, plays an equally important role. When water passes through a wetland, the plants there act as natural filters, absorbing some of the nutrients before they reach a larger river or lake. Under the new budget, the Department of Agriculture's yearly H2Ohio budget is going from $60.8 million to $53.6 million. The Department of Natural Resources is getting hit even harder: Its H2Ohio budget is dropping from $46.6 million to $21.2 million. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency also gets H2Ohio dollars, mostly to protect drinking water; its budget is falling from $27.5 million to just $7.5 million. Nate Schlater, senior director of ecological restoration at the environmental and economic development nonprofit Rural Action, is overseeing the construction of a new wetland near the Auglaize River in northwestern Ohio, which feeds into the Maumee. He and his team are using H2Ohio dollars for the project. The land was previously owned by a farmer, who sold it to Rural Action because it was prone to flooding. Constructing could mean various things depending on the wetland. In some cases, it may be necessary to redirect where a stream flows. In the Auglaize project, the team discovered three cars buried along the stream bank in an effort to control erosion, which will have to be removed. After that, there's seeding the appropriate plants and ensuring nothing invasive takes root in the new ecosystem. The Ohio State University's Winslow said it's also important to keep monitoring the wetland after it's finished. That also falls within ODNR's now-reduced H2Ohio budget. 'You can build a wetland and think it's gonna work, but then when you step back and monitor it, you're like, 'Oh, it's not working as good as it should, let's go in and do X, Y and Z,'' Winslow said. Schlater said the money for this particular wetland has already been allocated and won't be affected by the new budget. However, he worries the cuts may make it harder to find funding for new projects in northwest Ohio and elsewhere. 'There's a lot of great water in the state, and there's also a lot of impaired water in the state,' Schlater said. 'The H2Ohio funding opportunity for the state was really providing a lot of money directly impacting water quality, and any reduction in that is essentially less water that's gonna be improved, preserved or maintained.' The H2Ohio cuts are not the only setback this year in the effort to contain Lake Erie's harmful algal blooms. The Trump administration's staffing cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have forced that agency to suspend its deployment of Environmental Sample Processors, or ESPs, for the rest of the year. An ESP is a device that automatically collects and processes water samples from a body of water—in this case, Lake Erie—and gives researchers back home an almost real-time glimpse of how much toxin is present in a given part of the lake. Monica Allen, director of public affairs for NOAA Research, wrote in an email that the organization's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory will train other staffers on ESPs during the winter months, with the goal of resuming ESP deployment in 2026. Winslow said the cuts may force scientists to scale back how many places in Lake Erie they can sample. Those samples, which are spread over a large area, are how scientists understand what's actually happening in the lake. 'The data will never be inaccurate. A scientist or an academic institution, if they take a water sample, they are using the highest level of rigor to analyze those samples,' Winslow said. 'The one thing that you might see is the number of places that we can sample is not as broad.' Some monitoring is done with satellites, which Winslow said should continue operating as normal. It's understanding the chemicals in the water that may become more challenging. 'I don't think you'll see a hit in where the bloom is at and how thick it is, but you may see a delay in our ability to predict toxin in those blooms,' Winslow explained. Exacerbating the problem in the long run is climate change, which is bringing increased rainfall and higher temperatures to the Great Lakes region. 'We're seeing warmer temperatures, so the lake tends to warm up faster. This type of organism that causes these harmful algal blooms likes warmer water … so they could start showing up earlier,' Winslow said. However, Winslow stressed that the relationship between the algal blooms and the warming climate is complex. No matter how conducive the weather is, the overall size of the bloom still depends on how much phosphorus enters the lake. What the weather does affect, he explained, is the timing and duration. 'It's showing up early and lasting longer this time, but the maximum peak that it reaches is less than when it was cooler,' Winslow said. Exactly what that means for people in the long run remains to be seen, according to Winslow. It does raise the probability that members of the public will see the blooms, but the peak won't be as severe. What could become a problem, Winslow said, is if the earlier blooms come when cyanobacteria are producing the highest amount of toxins. That depends on another nutrient that also leeches out of the soil and into the lake: nitrogen. Nitrogen levels in Lake Erie are highest around the end of June and early July, he said. 'And so what we don't want is the peak to fall there, because then it means you have a bloom that's huge and crazy and very, very toxic,' Winslow said. Climate change also poses a potential threat to the mitigation efforts themselves. 'When you're designing a wetland, you're designing a wetland based on a certain river dumping into it, how much water's coming from that river. Well, if we're seeing more rainfall, we may have designed the wetlands not big enough, or maybe in the wrong place,' Winslow said. 'And for farmers, they lose their nutrients when it rains. So the more rain we're gonna get, the harder it is for them to keep their nutrients on their fields. So all of these solutions, wetlands and what we pay our farmers to do, … they're gonna be just harder to do because of climate change, because of more precipitation.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Full tilt: Cedar Point's new Siren's Curse roller coaster is not for the faint of heart 🎢
The wait is over. And now the real wait is about to begin. Cedar Point's newest roller coaster made its debut June 26 for the media and a select group of coaster enthusiasts. The Siren's Curse is slated to make its public debut on June 28 after previews for season passholders on June 27. Long lines are expected on June 28 to ride what is being billed as the tallest, fastest and longest 'tilt' roller coaster in America. Anticipating the excitement for the new coaster, Dave Evans, construction manager for Cedar Point's parent company Six Flags, said they have constructed one of the largest queue lines ever at the park. See it in action 🎢: Watch Beacon Journal reporter ride Siren's Curse and question life decisions The ride has a capacity of anywhere from 900 to 1,000 guests an hour. Evans said they have built the lines to accommodate a one and a half to two-hour wait. Unlike other queue lines in the park, he said, this one will not have any in-park TVs that will distract from the theming of an abandoned Lake Erie shipyard. And guests for this coaster will wait within feet of the coaster as it screams overhead. "You are always in the ride," he said. "This is what is cool about it." With 19 roller coasters now in its lineup from big to small, Cedar Point is home to one of the largest collections of such thrill machines in the world. This one might be most unique with its tilt feature. And this dangling of passengers over the Midway, said Park Manager Colleen Murphy-Brady, is what makes this one particularly exciting for riders and those not brave enough to venture on. "This ride has a lot of spectator value," she said. "Guests are going to want to stop and watch that tilt." Akron coaster enthusiast gives coaster two hands up Akron resident Michael Burkes has been riding coasters for as long as he was tall enough to climb aboard. He's been a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts for some 38 years and first visited Cedar Point in 1973. Burkes, 60, recently rode his milestone 500th coaster in Wisconsin. He thought he had seen and ridden just about everything. But this latest coaster at Cedar Point is certainly one of the most unique and thrilling he's ever encountered. "I am just amazed," Burkes said. He was surprised by its speed and variety of elements − particularly the number of instances of airtime or sense of floating out of your seat. "It is fun and furious," he said. "This is an excellent addition to the park." What is the theme of the Siren's Curse? The Siren's Curse is themed after a collection of mythical sirens who reside under the water in Lake Erie and use their voices in song to lure sailors. The Siren's mournful cries along with equally eerie music play inside of the coaster cars as riders climb the hill to the fateful tilt feature of the coaster. The lift hill of the coaster − designed by the Netherlands firm Vekoma − is supposed to resemble an old 160-foot-tall Lake Erie shipping crane tower What makes the Siren's Curse special? The coaster's signature feature is a 160-foot-tall lift hill where the coaster train precariously tilts riders to the ground below. At the top, riders will encounter a broken track that trails off to nowhere. The tower's platform tilts 90 degrees straight down as the track connects to a twisted track below. The coaster train will then plunge down along 2,966 feet of twisting track at a top speed of 58 mph. In all, riders will experience 13 instances of weightless or so-called airtime moments along with two 360-degree, zero-gravity barrel rolls and a high-speed 'triple-down' element with twisted and overbanked track − all in the span of about two minutes. The coaster trains, that will hold 24 passengers, have integrated audio and LED lighting − both a first for Cedar Point. And the coaster is the first at the park to take riders underground. What to know before you ride the Siren's Curse? The new thrill machine – with its compact vertical design – is situated by the Iron Dragon coaster just off the park's Main Midway. Like any new attraction at Cedar Point, expect long lines from the time the park opens to closing time. You have to be at least 48 inches tall to ride. And riders are not allowed to bring any personal items like water bottles, wallets, keys and cell phones onto the new coaster and will be required to pass through metal detectors. Free short-term small lockers will be available for riders near the entrance to the coaster. Parkgoers with larger items like purses and backpacks will still be required to rent a locker to ride these coasters. If the ride's line is too long, you can always hang around and ride the other coasters and return shortly before closing time when the crowds have thinned out. The park's policy is to let all guests ride an attraction as long as they are in line by closing time. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Siren's Curse debuts to roller coaster enthusiasts at Cedar Point Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Check out these amusement parks – big and small – within a day's drive from Akron
There's just something magical about amusement parks. They are places where memories are made. And fears are confronted. Northern Ohio is still fortunate to have a fair number of such parks within a day's drive. Most of these parks are steeped in history and are popular destinations for amusement park enthusiasts from near and far to ride not only classic rides but the latest scream machines. There are also some smaller parks that offer fun – albeit on a smaller scale. Cedar Point The granddaddy of American amusement parks is situated right in our proverbial backyard on the shores of Lake Erie. Cedar Point in Sandusky has been a summer destination for generations of families for some 150 years. The park is home to 67 rides including 19 roller coasters that are the star attraction for thrill seekers. Some of these coasters that reach high into the sky offer breathtaking views of Lake Erie and the park's mile-long beach and historic Hotel Breakers before plunging riders at a breakneck speed. The park with its historic charm continues to evolve with new rides and experiences added each season. And this year is no different. The park has added Siren's Curse, billed as North America's tallest, fastest and longest tilt roller coaster. The coaster, themed after a mythical Lake Erie siren, is already a fan and spectator favorite with long lines this summer. The coaster's signature feature is the tilt that dangles riders 90 degrees over the midway before connecting to the track below and speeding some 58 miles per hour along a twisting track. This summer is also the first chance for many visitors to ride the Top Thrill 2 roller coaster that closed shortly after its debut last season. For more, visit Kennywood A trip to Kennywood located in West Mifflin, just outside of Pittsburgh, is like taking a stroll through the past. This Pennsylvania amusement park holds the distinction of being considered a National Historic Landmark for its collection of historic buildings and 40 some rides. The park that dates back to 1898, is home to the Old Mill boat ride that takes guests past a series of humorous old western scenes and the classic Noah's Ark walkthrough funhouse that sways back and forth as guests navigate narrow passageways and encounter animals and other surprises along the way. Kennywood also has an impressive collection of roller coasters including some that are pretty old like the Racer and the Jack Rabbit. The 3,365-foot-long Phantom's Revenge takes full advantage of the park's hilly terrain and was recently ranked No. 1 by USA TODAY. Kennywood's Steel Curtain roller coaster reopened this summer after work throughout last season to reinforce its supports. Themed after the Pittsburgh Steelers, the coaster reaches 220 feet making it Pennsylvania's tallest roller coaster and with nine inversions, it is the most of any coaster in the country and has the highest inversion. And no visit to Kennywood would be complete without trying its famed Potato Patch fries with gooey cheese and fresh bacon. They love these fries so much at Kennywood they even have dodgem cars themed after the tasty dish called the Potato Smash. Kings Island Cedar Point may get a lot of the attention, but its sister Six Flags Park just outside Cincinnati is also a popular destination for thrill seekers. Kings Island in Mason is home to a signature replica of the Eiffel Tower and some 16 roller coasters from the tame – like the Great Pumpkin – to the extreme Orion with a breathtaking 300-foot first drop. One of the oldest coasters in the park is arguably its best. The Beast made its debut in 1979 and still holds the record as the longest wooden roller coaster in the world. Over the span of 4 minutes, riders whisk along 7,361 feet of track at 65 miles per hour over some 35 wooded acres. For those looking for a little tamer experience, the park's Boo Blasters on Boo Hill offers a fun and cool indoor experience where guests have to hunt down and capture ghosts. For more, check out Smaller regional parks A summer escape to an amusement park does not have to be an all-day or break the bank kind of thing. There are smaller regional parks that offer thrills on a smaller scale. Memphis Kiddie Park situated in the Cleveland suburb of Brooklyn not far from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is geared toward young riders. Unlike the big parks where you have to purchase a daily admission, Memphis Kiddie Park offers tickets for just one or all of the 11 amusement park rides geared to children under 50 inches tall. The park's rides are from the early 1950s and look like the day they arrived at the quaint park that has a nice miniature golf course. Ride tickets are $3.25 each or 10 for $29. For more, visit Nestled in the hills of New Philadelphia, Tuscora Park is another short escape for young families. The city-owned park has a collection of rides geared toward young kids including a train ride and a carousel. Like Memphis Kiddie Park, there is no daily admission and ride tickets are $1.50 each or a book of 12 for $10. For more, visit Sluggers & Putters in Canal Fulton is home to 10 rides from the Space Jets to the Tea Cups to the classic Scrambler. The small Stark County amusement park is also home to a pretty cool themed miniature golf course and go-cart tracks for both young and adventurous riders. Ticket prices vary by attraction. For more, visit Funtimes Fun Park in Alliance is also home to a nice collection of small rides and attractions. The park also features miniature golf, Go-Karts and even bumper boats. Among the collection of amusement park rides is the original Tilt-A-Whirl from the former Geauga Lake Amusement Park. Ticket prices vary by attraction. For more, visit Waldameer in Erie, Pennsylvania, also does not charge a daily admission to its large amusement park. To visit the water park that has a number of slides and attractions, you have to purchase a day pass. You are free to stroll through the amusement park, but to ride any of the 33 attractions you can either purchase a day pass or put credits on a ride card. Waldameer has a fun walk-through Pirate-theme funhouse and the classic Wacky Shack dark ride. The park is also home to five roller coasters including the super-fast Ravene Flyer II. For more, visit This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Check out these amusement parks a quick drive away from Akron Solve the daily Crossword
