Michigan Man Convicted of Illegally Diverting Rivers in Sleeping Bear Dunes

Andrew Howard of Frankfort, Michigan, was convicted of tampering and vandalism for diverting the Platte River into Lake Michigan, creating a new channel approximately 200 feet wide. The diversion was aimed at easing boat access to the lake, but it led to increased fishing activity and a policy dispute with the National Park Service. Some local officials and businesses supported the increased boat access, citing safety concerns due to sediment build-up in the river.