If the standard Ouija session involves hushed questions whispered in a darkened seance room, Rick “Ormortis” Schreck’s record-breaking rendition of the talking board game is the otherworldly communication equivalent of shouting through a bullhorn with the volume pegged to the … Continue reading →
When thinking of areas that are known for their winter maintenance challenges, one immediately thinks of New England’s brutal Nor’easters, the unrelenting snowsqualls of Michigan’s upper peninsula and the seemingly unending winters of the upper Midwest. And, of course, Northwest … Continue reading →
Solar storms are a real possibility, according to Eric Waage, director of Hennepin County Emergency Management. “I think that people who run utilities and plan for disasters really need to have this on their radar,” said Waage. “But I think … Continue reading →
Budgets are being constricted across the U.S., particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic reduces tax revenue. When seeking ways to lower costs and stretch those budgets, street sweeping could be a prime candidate for change and cost savings, by outsourcing some … Continue reading →
His family called him “Al.” His teachers called him “too stupid to learn anything.” But through a lifetime of stratospheric curiosity, unrelenting inventiveness and an unrivaled work ethic, Thomas Alva Edison has earned the invariable honorific uttered even now across … Continue reading →
Bordering three Great Lakes and covered with forests, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is 30% larger than the state of Maryland in terms of landmass but with a population 20 times smaller. While the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge is the more celebrated entrance … Continue reading →
With water in the Great Lakes at or near record levels and rainfall in the Midwest well above normal this winter, it’s not surprising that cities around the region are facing erosion issues on lake shores and riverbanks. According … Continue reading →
With each passing year, the cost of repairing and replacing emergency vehicles, such as fire apparatuses and police cars, grows. Today, a police vehicle will cost nearly six-figures, while the price of most new fire trucks is more than half … Continue reading →
In Battle Creek, Mich., the police department has created an “information clearinghouse” known as the Fusion Center. “We analyze basically everything that’s going on in the city daily,” explained Sgt. Jeff Case, who is in charge of the Fusion Center. … Continue reading →
When Disneyland first opened in 1955, one of its popular theme parks was Tomorrowland, a nod to Walt Disney’s futurist views. That was then, this is now: a new concept of tomorrow is here today. Just like the magic of … Continue reading →
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was a city with a plan, and with good timing and funding, its goals have been realized with the Rose District, a streetscape project that has reshaped its downtown. “The Rose District streetscape is a direct … Continue reading →
