Memorial Day is almost here, and there’s no more Michigan way to kick off summer than a trip to one of our Great Lakes.

And today, it’s east vs. west as The ’Gander’s Chaunie Brusie compares Lake Michigan and Lake Huron to see which shoreline deserves your weekend time.

And before anyone says it—yes, we know there are more than two Great Lakes surrounding Michigan. We’re focusing on the two most popular coasts. But we know Michiganders have strong opinions, so you’ll get your say, too (stick around to the end of the newsletter).

MI court tosses GOP-led voting suit (Michigan Advance): A Michigan judge has dismissed a Republican-led challenge to state election law, upholding rules that allow military families overseas to vote in Michigan.

Isle Royale wolf population reaches highest level since 70s (MLive): Isle Royale’s wolf population has rebounded to 37 following reintroduction effort—its highest level since the 1970s. Meanwhile, the moose population has sharply declined. The shift marks a major turnaround in the island’s ecosystem, with predators now thriving and prey numbers at historic lows.

Body of missing NMU student found in Marquette Harbor (ClickOnDetroit): The body of missing Northern Michigan University student Trenton Massey was found in Marquette’s Lower Harbor after a nearly two-month search involving multiple agencies and volunteers. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing as they work to determine what happened.

A patriotic boat gliding across the Straits of Mackinac. (Peggy Sue Zinn/Unsplash)

By Chaunie Brusie

As a native Michigander born in the thumb area, I grew up hearing two schools of thought about our Great Lakes: The east is the rocky side and the west is the beautiful sandy side, but man, the waves and wind over there will getcha. 

I feel like we Michiganders tend to stick close by to the nearest Great Lake we were born by (or live near), which means I have spent the majority of my time visiting Lake Huron on the east side of the state. But the beauty of living in or visiting Michigan is that you have all the Great Lakes to choose from. 

So for this Memorial Day weekend, as we finally, finally break out of the freezing cold grip that this winter has had on us, we’re facing off with a battle of the Great Lakes: Lake Michigan vs. Lake Huron—which is the better lake to kick off the unofficial start to summer at? 

While Lakes Michigan and Huron just went toe-to-toe in Chaunie’s article, I want to get the perspective of our readers for this week’s question.

And we’re doing things a bit differently this time. Today, instead of writing in, all you have to do is click (or tap) a button to have your response recorded (though, feel free to send me a message you if you feel like you need to elaborate on your response. I’ll share those too).

So, this week, let us know:

Have a question you want me to ask our community? Send it my way. I might feature it in a future edition.

Missed the answers to last week’s question: “Is the uptick in Michigan tourism making ‘classic’ summer destinations worse?” Find them in our Friday newsletter here.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with a feature story from Chaunie Brusie. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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