Great Lakes Today

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Great Lakes Today, a collaboration of public media stations, was created to highlight issues affecting the lakes. All reports are available to stations for free -- whether or not the station is in the Great Lakes region.

The main partners in the collaboration are WBFO (Buffalo), ideastream (Cleveland) and WXXI (Rochester); other stations in the region will also contribute reports. Great Lakes Today is funded through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Series

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4 Pieces

Drownings at Great Lakes beaches often have a common cause: dangerous currents similar to those found along the ocean. Over the past decade, some 500 drownings and rescues have been attributed to structural, longshore and rip currents. This four-part series examines the issue from various perspectives, including a grieving mother, scientists developing a warning system, and a Michigan beach where drownings are concentrated. NOTE: Stories can run as a series or individually. Intros and outros are customized

Caption: Victor Small gets help for his asthma at an East Baltimore clinic., Credit: Angelica A. Morrison
3 Pieces

Minorities in the Great Lakes bear the burden of environmental problems such as air pollution, water contamination and waste dumps. This series examines the issue through residents of Cleveland, Buffalo and an indigenous community in Ontario, Canada.

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3 Pieces

The environmental movement is being redefined. Many advocacy groups are reaching out to minorities and addressing issues important to them. This three-part series explains how the movement has changed -- and what still needs to be done.

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5 Pieces

A look at the impact of President Trump's proposed budget cuts


Pieces

Caption: [Denise Kappa/Shutterstock]
There are hundreds of marinas – and thousands of boats – spread across the Great Lakes. And that means there’s a lot of potential for pollution. G...

Bought by WRVO Public Media, Interlochen Public Radio, WXXI Rochester, WSKG, WCMU Michigan and more


  • Added: Feb 16, 2018
  • Length: :54
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Boats on Lake Erie during Healing Our Waters Lake Erie tour in 2017., Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
This week, President Trump outlined his 2019 budget and a plan to invest in roads, bridges and other infrastructure. In the Great Lakes region, a ...

Bought by WRVO Public Media, WVBI-LP, Interlochen Public Radio, WXXI Rochester, WCMU Michigan and more


  • Added: Feb 15, 2018
  • Length: 02:17
  • Purchases: 8
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President Trump’s 2019 budget outline is out and Great Lakes funding is cut again. But as Great Lakes Today’s Elizabeth Miller reports, politician...

Bought by WSKG, WRVO Public Media, WVBI-LP, Interlochen Public Radio, WNIJ and more


  • Added: Feb 12, 2018
  • Length: :43
  • Purchases: 12
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Every winter outdoor enthusiasts gather on Black Lake in Cheboygan County Michigan, not far from Lake Huron, on a crusade to catch the state threat...

Bought by WDET Detroit Public Radio, WBFO, WVBI-LP, WSKG, and WCPN


  • Added: Feb 07, 2018
  • Length: 03:27
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Render of future site at Port of Toledo, Credit: [Cleveland Cliffs]
The Great Lakes Waterways Conference is this week in downtown Cleveland. Sessions over the two-day meeting will focus on autonomous technology, go...

Bought by WVBI-LP, WXXI Rochester, WBFO, WKSU, WSKG and more


  • Added: Feb 05, 2018
  • Length: 01:09
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Cold Snap and Three Weeks, two of Christensen's pieces, Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
At this time of year, we tend to turn away from the Great Lakes, counting down the days until we can swim, fish, or go boating. But a new art exhib...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, WDET Detroit Public Radio, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WBFO, and WKSU


  • Added: Feb 02, 2018
  • Length: 03:31
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: The crew of USCG Cutter Neah Bay breaks up ice in Fairport Harbor, Ohio on January 23, 2018., Credit: U.S. Coast Guard District 9
The US and Canadian Coast Guards have assisted over 300 ships this winter season. It’s the result of a years-long partnership – in one of the wors...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WVBI-LP, WOUB, WBFO and more


  • Added: Jan 30, 2018
  • Length: 01:13
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Christmas tree berm at the Royal Botanical Gardens. , Credit: by ANGELICA A. MORRISON
Canada’s Royal Botanical Gardens has a problem. Carp are trying to invade protected marshes, where they could destroy lots of plants. But scientist...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, WVBI-LP, WBFO, WCPN, WCMU Michigan and more


  • Added: Jan 24, 2018
  • Length: 03:45
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: USS Little Rock in Buffalo, Credit: Angelica A. Morrison
Icy conditions have delayed departure plans for the USS Little Rock. The ship was commissioned in Buffalo, back in December and started on a journe...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, WCMU Michigan, and North Country Public Radio


  • Added: Jan 23, 2018
  • Length: :44
  • Purchases: 3
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Indigenous communities are spread across Canada. Some are remote; others are close to the US border. But many have something in common – unsafe dri...

Bought by WRST-FM Oshkosh, WDET Detroit Public Radio, WXXI Rochester, WRVO Public Media, WOSU and more


  • Added: Jan 11, 2018
  • Length: 03:35
  • Purchases: 13