Mitch Albom has a nice column about "the Big Girl", MSU's 6-4 Kelli Roehrig.

Hard Times for Isle Royale Moose Herd
John Flesher Associated Press reports that the Isle Royale moose population fell to about 540 this winter, down from 740 last year and 1,100 during the winter of 2002-03 according to wildlife biologist Rolf Peterson of Michigan Tech University. Meanwhile, wolf numbers jumped from 19 to 29 last season and reached 30 this year. A recent warming trend has borne a bumper crop of ticks and the balsam fir (the herd's prmary food source) is slowly dying out on the western two-thirds of the island.

Canadian Government Investigating Edmund Fitzgerald Dive Allegations
The Soo Evening News reports that the Ontario Ministry of Culture is reviewing allegations an illegal dive was made to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior. The Whitefish Point Preservation Society of Paradise, Mich., alleges that the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society conducted an illegal dive to the legendary shipwreck nearly three years ago.

Bad News from GM
The Detroit News reports that General Motors, the world's largest automaker, announced yesterday that it expects its worst quarterly loss ($847 million) since 1992 and much lower than forecast profits for 2005. The carmaker will cut merit pay raises and retirement funds and may also cut jobs and health care.

Michigan Schools Running on Empty
The Detroit News reports that many Michigan school districts have tapped their rainy day funds to avoid cutting programs, but are now running out of money. Gov. Jennifer Granholm's proposed $175 per-pupil funding increase won't be enough to stave off the budget crisis, school officials say.

Great Lakes are Vast, but Still Need Our Help
The Jackson Citizen Patriot reports that the Great Lakes contain 6 quadrillion gallons of fresh water (about 20% of the earth's surface water) and that, according to Ken DeBeaussaert, director of Michigan's Office of the Great Lakes, "The Great Lakes really have been the foundation on which much of our economic success has been built". DeBeaussaert identified diversion of water to other states and countries and exotic species as two major threats.

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