By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

Since December, four Northeast Ohio dogs and their human companions have been hot on the trail of invasive spotted lanternflies, sniffing out egg masses laid in the Cleveland Metroparks.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

An exhibition at the Cleveland Botanical Garden features more than 30 artists whose work explores the role nature plays in overcoming painful emotions and experiences.

The botanical garden partnered with local gallery Deep Roots Experience to bring together The Nature of Healing, an exhibition exploring ways the outdoors can help process grief and trauma.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has announced a sustainability plan as part of larger, city-wide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The plan outlines six focus areas to improve energy efficiency, including incorporating EV charging infrastructure and expanding solar and renewable energy options.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency is seeking feedback on a proposed plan to better connect the region’s county parks systems to each other, and to community resources.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

The path of totality during the April 8 solar eclipse is expected to run directly across northwest Ohio, keeping tourism officials in the area, who normally plan for crowds to begin arriving in May, extra busy.   

Some private campgrounds in the area that are opening early for the eclipse and have sites available, including Crystal Rock, Erie and Ottawa County fairgrounds, Cedarlane RV Resort, Camp Sandusky and Camp Perry RV Park.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Stephanie Metzger-Lawrence, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne want stronger federal clean car standards to protect Northeast Ohioans from health problems resulting from air pollution.

“We call on the EPA to enact the strongest possible clean car standards and urge them to finalize this rule this March,” Bibb said at a press conference Friday.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Lee Chilcote, The Land

This story is part of a collaborative series, from the Institute for Nonprofit News, The Land and four other news partners, examining climate resilience across the Great Lakes. This reporting was made possible with support from the Joyce Foundation.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois

• Illinois comes in 16th in annual ranking of states’ energy efficiency, behind California, Massachusetts and Minnesota — Chicago Tribune

Illinois ranks 16th nationally in a new energy efficiency scorecard behind Midwest top performers Minnesota and Michigan.

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By Mark Gillispie, Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — The county prosecutor’s office in Cleveland has opened an investigation into an apparent cheating scandal during a lucrative walleye fishing tournament on Lake Erie last week.

A video posted to Twitter shows Jason Fischer, tournament director for the Lake Erie Walleye Trail, cutting open the winning catch of five walleye on Friday and finding lead weights and prepared fish filets inside them.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

A common question for casual observers of Great Lakes vessels is “Where are the big container ships?” The reference is to the massive ocean-traversing ships with containers stacked stories high.

The container ships have been absent from the Great Lakes where cherished lake freighters dominate the waterways hauling bulk cargo.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.