Lice Exterminators Pluck Profits

Over the past several years, lice outbreaks have become more frequent
and more severe. Some scientists believe it’s because a new strain of
lice have developed resistance to both over-the-counter and prescription
lice treatments. But as researchers scratch their heads and wonder what
to do to control these "super lice", some new businesses are jumping in
with an answer. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson
reports:

Worm Dispensing Machines?

When vending machines were first introduced, they mostly dispensed
coffee, soft drinks, and cellophane-wrapped sandwiches. But today, some
vending machines are offering up a very different kind of grub; they
dispense fishing bait. It’s a growing trend in vending. There are now
about two-thousand bait machines across the country, with the largest
concentration in Michigan, Ohio, and New York. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:

Proposed Trade Agreement Spells Trouble

Environmentalists warned the North American Free Trade Agreement would
put corporate profits over environmental protection. And now…two
lawsuits filed by U.S. corporations against the Canadian government, are
proving them right. But, as Great Lakes Radio Consortium commentator
Suzanne Elston warns, NAFTA is just the beginning. There is another
much more sinister trade agreement looming on the horizon:

Julia of the Jungle

Americans love their celebrities. We make them personal heroes, elect
them to public office, and turn them into spokespeople for everything
from gun ownership to prenatal care. Recently, Great Lakes Radio
Consortium commentator Julia King watched a well-known actress make a
plea for the threatened orangutan. The experience has her wondering how
to "turn" people "on" to the woes of the planet:

Restaurants Serve Up Local Harvests

At most restaurants, the produce and meat order comes in a tractor
trailer. What many chefs don’t realize is that they can get that same
food from local farmers. As the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen
Kelly reports, there’s a growing movement to put local food on
restaurant tables:

The Stone Business Rocks

You might gather a few stones as you walk along the beach, or buy some
at the hardware store to use in landscaping. But if you want to get a
good idea of the wide variety of stones, you might make a visit to the
Stone Zone. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:

Mercury Emissions Hit the ‘Net’

The U-S Environmental Protection Agency will soon require some coal-burning power plants to report how much mercury their smokestacks are emitting. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports that the E-P-A will post the information on the Internet:

Feds Test for Endocrine Disrupters

The U-S Environmental Protection Agency is working to identify whether certain chemicals disrupt human reproductive and neurological systems. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports that the process will take years, and for now, scientists recommend avoiding suspect chemicals found in some foods:

Study Seeks to Reduce Car/Deer Collisions

It’s that time of year again. Car/Deer collisions are at their highest in the months of October, November, and December. It’s a dangerous and expensive problem. Insurance companies paid out more than one hundred million dollars last year in Michigan alone because of car/deer crashes. Now a new study is looking at ways the collisions can be reduced. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:

Sea Lamprey Soufflé?

A recent discovery has put the brakes on a plan to market Great Lakes sea lamprey to Europeans as a gourmet food. Scientists have found high levels of mercury in the lamprey, making it unfit to eat. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mike Simonson has the story: