This May I assembled a committee of three faculty at the Missouri School of Journalism–Jackie Bell, Bill Allen, and David Rees–to oversee my final project to complete my graduate degree.  The product will be a multimedia story on the effect on the economies of the Great Lakes states should Asian Silver and Bighead carp enter Lake Michigan via the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, or the negative effects upon Illinois’ economy should that state shut down that man-made canal.

For the past two weeks I’ve been trying to make some progress, but I realize now that I’m only going to make headway if I’m face-to-face with the 923 feet-deep body of water that these fish are attempting to colonize: I have to go home.

I grew up near the shore of Lake Michigan, and I can only hope that being an “insider” of a sorts will give me an advantage as I attempt to tell a complex story.  It’s ambitious, but I have hopes that I can do it justice.

As this post is going up I am traveling north from Columbia, Mo. to Racine, Wis.–a healthy nine-hour drive.  I hope to have a progress report soon.  Wish me luck!