For Friday, Aug. 14, 2026
1- July 2026 was the warmest month on record for the contiguous United States.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says July averaged 76.9 degrees F across the country, the warmest month since 1895. That’s 3.3 degrees above the 20th-century average. Daytime maximum temperatures averaged 89.5 degrees.
Above-average temperatures covered the 48 states. All 48 contiguous states ranked in the warmest third of their July temperature records. None were near or below average for temperature.
Alaska, meanwhile, had the coldest July average temperature since 2008.
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2 – Four local foundations are supporting a new Lake Huron Environmental Research Center near Saginaw Bay.
Gifts from the Saginaw Community Foundation, Bay Area Community Foundation, Dow Foundation and Strosacker Foundation will support the construction of a multi-million-dollar facility on the shore of the Saginaw River where it meets the bay.
The project would create the first Lake Huron research station operated by Saginaw Valley State University. The facility would support academic activities for SVSU students, educational activities for K-12 students and research opportunities for citizen scientists.
The recent foundation grants total more than $845,000. SVSU will commit $2.5 million and has received federal funding for the project. University officials say fundraising efforts are ongoing.
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3 – Don’t get too close. Michigan is home to a rare rattlesnake called the eastern massasauga.
In July, a Michigan man was bitten while trying to photograph one of the venomous snakes at a Commerce Township boat launch. He was hospitalized but is expected to recover.
And so the state Department of Natural Resources is urging people not harm, harass or attempt to capture the threatened species. Stay on the trails—and stay at least 3 feet away if you see one.
The eastern massasauga is generally tan with large brown splotches on its back that resemble a video game controller or bowtie. The thick-bodied snake grows to be about 18 to 30 inches long.
– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM WUCX in University Center, Michigan, near Bay City (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter or even Bluesky #MrGreatLakes
Mr Great Lakes 