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: Farmers along the Genesee River lose acres of productive land to erosion., Credit: Veronica Volk/WXXI
Summers along the Great Lakes feature fishing, boating -- and dangerous algae blooms that can shut down beaches. These blooms are caused by excess ...

Bought by KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio, WSKG, North Country Public Radio, WKSU, WRVO Public Media and more


  • Added: Jun 27, 2016
  • Length: 03:40
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: BY ANGELICA A. MORRISON /Testing for the National On-Water Standards Project, June 21, 2016., Credit: BY ANGELICA A. MORRISON
To help reduce deaths and injuries on the water, the U.S. Coast Guard has funded the National On-Water Standards Project. The goal: to foster a saf...

Bought by WBFO, WCPN, WXXI Rochester, and WCMU Michigan


  • Added: Jun 23, 2016
  • Length: 03:36
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Brad McBride of Burning River Adventures, Credit: Elizabeth Miller
When the Cuyahoga River caught fire on June 22, 1969, it badly scarred Cleveland’s image. Some other polluted rivers were burning in American citi...

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


  • Added: Jun 21, 2016
  • Length: 03:38
  • Purchases: 6
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Annual meeting and conference of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

Bought by WCPN, WILL, and WXXI Rochester


  • Added: Jun 16, 2016
  • Length: :47
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: View of Lake Michigan shoreline from Empire Bluff, Credit: National Park Service
Although Waukesha, Wisc., lies outside the Great Lakes basin, it wants to draw water from Lake Michigan because its wells are contaminated with rad...

Bought by Interlochen Public Radio, WCPN, WILL, WXXI Rochester, and WCMU Michigan


  • Added: Jun 16, 2016
  • Length: 03:26
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Each sculpture is in the size and proportion of a lake., Credit: Veronica Volk/WXXI News
To highlight his concerns about water use and abuse, artist Kevin Dartt created an unusual public sculpture in downtown Rochester: five concrete si...

Bought by WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WRVO Public Media, WCPN, WCMU Michigan, WBFO and more


  • Added: Jun 10, 2016
  • Length: 03:30
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Station Ashtabula Patrols Lake Erie, Credit: Elizabeth Miller
Security and rescue operations on Great Lakes waters are changing. The U-S Coast Guard is planning to temporarily shut down 8 Coast Guard stations...

Bought by WABE, WXXI Rochester, WCMU Michigan, WBFO, and Interlochen Public Radio


  • Added: Jun 07, 2016
  • Length: 03:36
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Sea lampreys have about a dozen rows of teeth.of teeth., Credit: Angelica Morrison
The sea lamprey, an invasive species found in all five Great Lakes, latches onto fish and sucks their blood and nutrients. It destroys some $10 mil...

Bought by WBFO, North Country Public Radio, WCPN, WSKG, WRVO Public Media and more


  • Added: Jun 03, 2016
  • Length: 03:37
  • Purchases: 8