Wind In the Shadow of Wind Farms

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GateHouse Media

In the shadow of wind farms

In the Shadow of Wind Farms
Wind farms generate clean energy.
Skip
Photo: Several 476-foot-tall wind turbines from the Lake Winds Energy Park stand within a quarter mile of the Shineldeckers’ former home. | Lucille Sherman
Shadow flicker simulated | Audio recorded near a turbine in the Lake Winds Energy Park in Mason County, MI.

What do
you value?

Health
Reputation
Money

In the Shadow of Wind Farms

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

So did the Shineldeckers.
But the health problems came.

Cary and Karen Shineldecker suffered anxiety, headaches, ear pressure, tinnitus, heart palpitations and sleep disturbances from the 476-foot-tall turbines Lake Winds Energy built around their Mason County, Michigan, home.

In the Shadow of Wind Farms
In the Shadow of Wind Farms

Excerpt from Cary Shineldecker’s journal

So did the Shineldeckers. But the financial woes came.

Cary and Karen Shineldecker spent
tens of thousands of dollars fighting the 476-foot-tall turbines Lake Winds Energy built around their Mason County, Michigan, home and sold their property at a loss to escape it. They now live four miles away in a house with a mortgage and memories that haunt them.

In the Shadow of Wind Farms

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

So did the Shineldeckers.
But the animosity came.

Cary and Karen Shineldecker faced
name-calling and middle fingers for opposing the 476-foot-tall turbines Lake Winds Energy built around their Mason County, Michigan, home. Longtime friends who supported the project stopped speaking to them. Someone poisoned their dogs. They felt unwelcome at their church.

In the Shadow of Wind Farms

And what
about now?

Health
Reputation
Money

In the Shadow of Wind Farms

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

The health problems made it worse.

The couple suffered
anxiety, headaches, ear pressure, tinnitus, heart palpitations and
sleep disturbances from the project.

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

The animosity made it worse.

The couple faced
name-calling and middle fingers for
opposing the project.
Longtime friends who supported the project stopped speaking to them. Someone poisoned their dogs. They felt unwelcome at their church.

In the Shadow of Wind Farms

Excerpt from Cary Shineldecker’s journal

The financial woes made it worse.

The couple spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting the project and sold their property at a loss to escape it. They now live four miles away in a house with a mortgage and memories that haunt them.

It isn't over yet.

Health
Reputation
Money

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

And then there were the health problems.

They suffered anxiety, headaches, ear pressure, tinnitus, heart palpitations and sleep disturbances from the turbines.

Excerpt from Cary Shineldecker’s journal

And then there were the
financial woes.

They spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting the turbines and sold their property at a loss to escape it. They now live four miles away in a house with a mortgage and memories that haunt them.

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

And then there was
the animosity.

They faced name-calling and middle fingers for opposing the turbines. Longtime friends who supported the project stopped speaking to them. Someone poisoned their dogs. They felt unwelcome at their church.

Wind farms generate clean energy.
Skip
Photo: Several 476-foot-tall wind turbines from the Lake Winds Energy Park stand within a quarter mile of the Shineldeckers’ former home. | Lucille Sherman
Shadow flicker simulated | Audio recorded near a turbine in the Lake Winds Energy Park in Mason County, MI.
But what if you lived in this house?

What do
you value?

Health
Reputation
Money

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

So did the Shineldeckers. But the health problems came.

Cary and Karen Shineldecker suffered anxiety, headaches, ear pressure, tinnitus, heart palpitations and sleep disturbances from the 476-foot-tall turbines Lake Winds Energy built around their Mason County, Michigan, home.

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

So did the Shineldeckers. But the animosity came.

Cary and Karen Shineldecker faced
name-calling and middle fingers for opposing the 476-foot-tall turbines Lake Winds Energy built around their Mason County, Michigan, home. Longtime friends who supported the project stopped speaking to them. Someone poisoned their dogs. They felt unwelcome at their church.

Excerpt from Cary Shineldecker’s journal

So did the Shineldeckers. But the financial woes came.

Cary and Karen Shineldecker spent
tens of thousands of dollars fighting the 476-foot-tall turbines Lake Winds Energy built around their Mason County, Michigan, home and sold their property at a loss to escape it. They now live four miles away in a house with a mortgage and memories that haunt them.

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

The health problems
made it worse.

The couple suffered anxiety, headaches, ear pressure, tinnitus, heart palpitations and sleep disturbances from the project.

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

The animosity made it worse.

The couple faced name-calling and middle fingers for opposing the project. Longtime friends who supported the project stopped speaking to them. Someone poisoned their dogs. They felt unwelcome at their church.

Excerpt from Cary Shineldecker’s journal

The financial woes
made it worse.

The couple spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting the project and sold their property at a loss to escape it. They now live four miles away in a house with a mortgage and memories that haunt them.

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

And then there were the
health problems.

They suffered anxiety, headaches, ear pressure, tinnitus, heart palpitations and sleep disturbances from the turbines.

Excerpt from Karen Shineldecker’s journal

And then there was
the animosity.

They faced name-calling and middle fingers for opposing the turbines. Longtime friends who supported the project stopped speaking to them. Someone poisoned their dogs. They felt unwelcome at their church.

Excerpt from Cary Shineldecker’s journal

And then there were the
financial woes.

They spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting the turbines and sold their property at a loss to escape it. They now live four miles away in a house with a mortgage and memories that haunt them.

“The smart thing to do would have been for us to not fight and just leave,” Cary said, “but I guess it’s not in my nature to do that.”

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