Meet the blogger
Jeff Alexander
My life, in 60 seconds
I grew up in suburban Los Angeles. Moved to Michigan to play college hockey. What? Seriously. Hockey didn't work out. Settled on journalism. Met girl of my dreams (now wife) while in college. Encountered the wondrous Great Lakes. Never returned to California. Blessed with three wonderful children. Worked as a reporter and editor for 25 years at several Michigan newspapers. Wrote two books. Left the newspaper industry in 2009. Started my own writing and media consulting business (J. Alexander Communications). Now a contract writer for hire. I enjoy kayaking, hiking, reading, watching pro hockey and college football, traveling, exploring the Great Lakes and occasionally trying to rise above the rank of world's worst angler. And I blog about the Great Lakes because these freshwater seas are, in a word, incredible. Thanks for visiting!
Category Archives: Invasive species
Taking stock of the Great Lakes on Earth Day 2013
In honor of Earth Day, I thought it appropriate to explore the current state of the Great Lakes — the good, bad and ugly. The lakes today are far healthier than in 1972, when Congress passed the federal Clean Water Act. … Continue reading
Asian Carp Doomsday Clock nears midnight after study suggests some of the invaders are in the Great Lakes
Some Asian carp are likely living in southern Lake Michigan and western Lake Erie, according to scientists at the University of Notre Dame. Researchers recently announced that they found more Asian carp DNA in western Lake Erie and southern Lake Michigan. The … Continue reading
BBC produces amazing video of flying Asian carp
Leave it to the BBC, one of the world’s great news organizations, to produce an incredible video of Asian carp leaping in the air. The secret: High speed video coupled with ominous sounding music. The result is a video that … Continue reading
Lake Erie’s toxic algae nightmare is national news … again
Poor Lake Erie: The Rodney Dangerfield of the Great Lakes just can’t get a break. Time magazine declared Lake Erie declared dead in the 1960s, when the lake was actually too alive with algae. Sadly, the algae blooms that made … Continue reading
How are the Great Lakes? Ask a beach
Beaches are an important indicator of the health of Great Lakes ecosystems. Many of the most serious problems facing the lakes — such as bacterial pollution and algae blooms that are fueled by sewer overflows, polluted runoff and invasive species … Continue reading
Asian carp domination of Illinois River bodes ill for Great Lakes
An Illinois radio station recently produced a news story about how anglers can help rein in the Asian carp population in the Illinois River by fishing the heck out of the species. It’s the “If you can’t beat ‘em, eat … Continue reading
