A new study finds Upper Peninsula residents are sharply divided over wolves, with a majority favoring lower populations due to concerns about deer, livestock, and safety. But researchers say support for reductions drops significantly when people understand wolves’ ecological role. We’ve got the story down below.

Plus: Residents in Northern Michigan are bracing for a massive bill from an ice storm earlier this year after the federal government’s rejection of emergency aid to the area. We want to hear your take.

DTE expects approval for Saline data center power (MLive): DTE Energy says it still expects state regulators to approve its contracts to power the proposed OpenAI-backed data center in Saline Township on Dec. 18, despite missing its earlier fast-track deadline. The project has drawn intense local opposition and pushback from Attorney General Dana Nessel, who says DTE exaggerated the urgency and is calling for full public hearings. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has urged approval, framing the data center as a major jobs and tech-sector investment for Michigan.

Study finds Michigan students improving in math (Freep): A new MSU report shows Michigan students are rebounding in math, even surpassing pre-pandemic national benchmarks, but reading scores remain stalled. Elementary literacy is a big concern, though lower-performing readers are showing promising gains. Researchers say schools may need to rethink curricula and supports as student needs grow more varied.

Health officials urge flu shot (WMUK): Just 1 in 5 Michiganders have gotten this year’s flu shot, prompting state health officials to urge vaccination as flu season ramps up. Rates vary widely across Southwest Michigan, from 25% in Kalamazoo County to just 9% in Cass. COVID vaccination is even lower statewide, with only 7% receiving the latest shot.

In this Sept. 26, 2018, file photo, provided by the National Park Service, a 4-year-old female gray wolf emerges from her cage as it is released at Isle Royale National Park in Michigan. (National Park Service via AP, File)

By Capital News Service

Public attitudes toward wolves are split in the Upper Peninsula, a new study finds, with more than 60% of residents surveyed favoring reducing wolf abundance, motivated mostly by worry about risks to livestock, white-tailed deer and human safety.

However, those who valued the ecological role of wolves were less likely to support cutting their numbers, according to the study, “Social and Ecological Influences on Human Coexistence with Gray Wolves,” in the journal Conservation Science and Practice.

“Perceived risks, particularly to deer, strongly influenced attitudes,” the study said.

The Wolf Conservation Center, based in New York, reported that there were at least 762 wolves in the UP in 2023.

The study recommended that the Department of Natural Resources balance public concerns with management of the state’s wolf population.

In the United States, heightened perception of risks negatively impacts people’s willingness to coexist with wolves.

“People living with wolves perceive real risks that need to be attended to,” said researcher Shawn Riley, an emeritus professor in the Michigan State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

The ’Gander’s Kyle Kaminski recently reported on how, after FEMA confirmed northern Michigan’s historic ice-storm damage met the federal threshold, the Trump administration still denied aid—leaving families facing massive rate hikes.

With $90 million in storm damage and no federal help, some northern Michigan households could see surcharges as high as $4,500 a year.

So, we want to know:

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

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with stories from Capital News Service and Kyle Kaminski. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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