It's clear that you need some more education, yourself. First off, scientific studies don't “PROVE” anything. They offer evidence for and against something, and suggest courses for additional study. Further, until they are repeated, with new controls, the studies are widely open to questions. You stated, that the U of M study has “proven beyond a doubt that dioxin in not being tranmitted to the human system through dust or soil”. Clearly, you're misrepresenting information, or you mispoke (probably both).

Have you ever heard of “PRIDE” being one of the 7 deadly sins? Perhaps you're blindness could be listed in the definition.

AWESOME article, Eartha.

Maybe after I cook it on my grill tomorrow.

I will also go and roll around in my rain soaked front yard.

I hope after I do this, that I can still stand and get that blood drawn, maybe I'll ask the blood bank that I donate to test my next draw extra close!
I would hate to kill who ever may receive it!
That would go against every grain in my being.

Since you are on the Downtown Development Authority of Tittabawassee Township , will you address whether it is correct that your township has resisted posting adequate fish advisory/dioxin signage at the park where the walleye festival is being held and that the DEQ approached you on this?

Also, as an FYI-it appears the last time Township board meeting minutes that were approved was November, 2008. Seems like a long time to have meeting minutes still pending approval .
http://tittabawassee.org/Department_Listing/Boa…

The U of M study that you mention did not study health implications. You did say, however, it was being peer reviewed so I look forward to seeing it's publication in a reputable professional scientific journal after a review. Since you mentioned the U of M study, I'm sure you're aware of the following from their report , aren't you? You wouldn't be attempting to deliberately mislead others, would you?

Key Study Findings About Blood
“Eating fish from the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River, and Saginaw Bay also leads to higher levels of dioxins in blood”
“People who live in some regions of Midland/Saginaw have higher levels of dioxin in their blood than people in Jackson/Calhoun”
“People who have higher dioxin in their soil, have a higher TEQ and higher levels of some dioxins in their blood”
“People who have higher levels of dioxins in their household dust have higher levels of one of the specifi dioxins (PCB-118) in their blood”
“In some cases there is a direct relationship between higher levels of dioxins in soil and higher levels of dioxins in peopl's blood. This relationship is small and applies to some, but not all of the specific dioxins”
“Other factors, some of which are related to contamination in Midland/Saginaw are more important than living on properties with contaminated soil or with contaminated household dust. These include eating fish, recreational activities, and occupation.”
“People who eat fish from the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River, and Saginaw Bay have higher levels of dioxins in their blood than people who do not eat fish from these areas. Most of these people live in Midland/Saginaw”.
“People who do recreational activities in the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay have higher levels of dioxins in their blood than people who do not do recreational activities in these area”
http://www.sph.umich.edu/dioxin/PDF/UMDES%20Bro…

Eartha, have you not heard of the University of Michigan dioxin study, http://www.sph.umich.edu/dioxin/, that has proven beyond a doubt that dioxin in not being tranmitted to the human system through dust or soil. This is a groundbreaking study that is being peer reviewed around the world and you choose plunge ignorantly forward and elude to the fact that dust and soil are dangerous in our area. Please take some time and educate yourself on the scientific facts concerning this issue. The U of M study is current, statistically bulletproof and is something you can use as a data base that is not 30 to 40 years out of date.

While it may disturb someone, setting in judgement , far removed from our area such as yourself , we are an extremely happy community. Sorry, but we do not carry the dower bleak outlook on the ills of corporate America and the supposedly fiendish plot they have to ruin our environment. You would do yourself a tremendous service if you would actually get to know the corporate people you like to attack and find out just how environmentally savvy they are. They are working their hardest to correct the mistakes of the past and do not deserve the bias criticism from people such as yourself.

Eartha, if you want to become a real journalist you had better align your thought process away from the reasons no one trusts a journalist now days. Those reasons include biased reporting, inaccurate facts, and a haughty attitude towards anything or anyone that proves you wrong. Sadly your articles fit the mold perfectly.

Leonard Heinzman
Proud Freeland resident

The Freeland Lions Club is an amazing group of volunteers that give of their time, talents and treasures to help those in the community who are in need. They are above reproach and their reputation is stellar, which makes a story like this one reprehensible given the outright lies. You’re clearly an activist – not a journalist, and this should be pointed out under your by-line.

So you have a grudge against Dow Chemical – fine… join the club. Dow and the Freeland Lions Club have done more for our community in one weekend than I’ve ever seen from any environmental group. The Walleye Festival is sponsored by roughly more than 80 local organizations and not one of them is an environmental group. Proceeds from the Walleye Festival go to fill some incredible needs of families and individuals from our communities. I’ve always considered myself to be environmentally responsible, but after seeing some stories like this one, I surely wouldn’t want to be called an environmentalist.

Brilliant of you to push your agenda by targeting a group of outstanding community volunteers. It sickens me to see something so ridiculous as this piece. I can’t even imagine the loss that would occur and the lack of resources to help our families in need if we were to lose the support provided by the Walleye Festival and the Freeland Lions Club. You owe the Freeland Lions Club and the many volunteers of the Freeland Walleye Festival a really big apology.