Researchers from Michigan State University have joined forces with the state’s Department of Natural Resources to conduct an ongoing study on the state’s population of deer. The project is being conducted around the Crockett Quantitative Wildlife Center and MSU’s Boone areas.

Researchers hope to learn more about the 1.75 million white-tailed deer that live in Michigan. They want to learn more about chronic wasting disease and how the disease spreads.

Read the rest of this entry »

From snow or freezing rain to intense winds and cold temperatures, winter conditions pose serious challenges to fleets. To protect your drivers when they’re sidelined by a storm, start winterizing your fleet for the season with these four tips.

1. Inspect and Clean the Exterior

Thoroughly clean the vehicles and apply a coat of wax to protect their exterior form ice, salt and snow. Wash the body, cab and undercarriage of each vehicle regularly to remove deicers and corrosive salts and prevent body damage.

Read the rest of this entry »

A family-owned business had construction equipment stolen that was worth around a half million dollars, according to Pat Toole, the owner of Greenville Tractor Co.

The manager, Andrew Reese, stated when they showed up on Monday morning at the tractor place, they noticed a machine sitting on top of a dirt pile. They also said the chain around a gate of theirs was broken, assuming the thieves had cut the link.

One excavator and seven compact track loaders of different sizes were taken, according to Reese. Also missing were other smaller, but costly accessories.

According to Lieutenant Ryan Flood, even though Greenville Tractor Co. didn’t have surveillance cameras around their property, across the street the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office found a surveillance video. Read the rest of this entry »

Over the past weeks, two backhoes have been deliberately stolen from worksites in Hawaii. Hawaii Police are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying the perpetrators responsible for these crimes.

According to the Captain of Puna Police, Ken Quiocho, construction equipment is often left on a job site until the next job is scheduled. At that point, the equipment is transferred to the new job. Police believe someone is gaining access to job site schedules and taking the backhoes before they are relocated.

Read the rest of this entry »

Auto thieves have been targeting Ford pick-ups in Pinellas County, FL.  Police in Pinellas County have been monitoring a recent wave of auto thefts in which thieves are specifically targeting pickup trucks.

The thieves have almost always targeted locked vehicles, and they have successfully driven the car away in almost every case. Police are calling the situation “alarming” because it appears that certain models of pickup trucks are being directly targeted because of the vehicle’s key system.

According to police, the spike in stolen Ford F-250 and F-350 diesel trucks is related to the newer vehicle’s computer chip lock system.

The recent thefts have been models from 2001 to 2010 that don’t have the newer key system. The transponder keys usually prevent the engine from starting without the computer chip, so it makes newer models much more difficult to steal. In response, auto thieves have decided to start targeting the later models that don’t have the transponder technology.

Read the rest of this entry »