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Great Lakes Today stories on NPR programs:
 

Heard on Here & Now—Feb. 23, 2018

Lack of safe drinking water concerns Canada's indigenous community

Contaminated drinking water is a big problem for indigenous communities across Canada. Some have been without safe water for years. The Canadian government says it's making efforts to improve water infrastructure on reservations.

http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/02/23/safe-drinking-water-canda-indigenous 

 

Heard on Here & Now—Dec. 15, 2017

Military takes on driverless vehicles

Autonomous vehicles have caught the attention of companies like Tesla, Uber and Google. Now, add the U.S. military to that list. ​

 http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/12/15/military-driverless-vehicles

 

Heard on Here & Now—Dec. 12, 2017

Using Music to Explore the Problems of Lake Erie

It may be hard to imagine a composer being inspired by public hearings and court cases. But Lake Erie and its problems take center stage in a new oratorio from Cleveland composer Margaret Brouwer. 
 http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/12/12/lake-erie-music

 

Heard on All Thing Considered—Nov. 3, 2017

Environmental groups seek to attract minorities

Advocacy groups are trying to broaden their appeal -- and tackle new issues -- by attracting minority members, staffers and directors.
 http://www.npr.org/2017/11/03/561952463/environmental-groups-seek-to-atttract-minorities 

 

Heard on Marketplace—Oct. 31, 2017

Spider silk, the newest material for military uniforms

Scientists in the Great Lakes region are experimenting with varieties of spider silk, which is remarkably strong, to make clothing for the U.S. Army. 

https://www.marketplace.org/2017/10/31/business/spider-silk-newest-fabric-military uniforms

 

Heard on Morning Edition—Oct. 10, 2017

Hop Aboard 'Maid Of The Mist' For A Trip To Niagara Falls

Millions of tourists ride Niagara Falls tour boats each year to get an up-close view of the falls. Long-time Maid of the Mist Capt. Rod MacDonald keeps them safe amid the swirling, churning waters.

http://www.npr.org/2017/10/10/556795263/backstage-pass-maid-of-the-mist

 

Heard on Here & Now—Aug. 3, 2017

On Lake Ontario, Replica Christopher Columbus ships spark controversy

Two replica Christopher Columbus ships are sailing across the Great Lakes this summer. They offer visitors a chance to learn about the famous explorer's voyages. But some say the ships only tell half of the story.

http://wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/08/03/replica-columbus-ships-controversy

Heard on All Things Considered--July 10, 2017

Trump's Budget Plan Proposes Cuts To Great Lakes Restoration Projects

President Trump's 2018 budget plan eliminates millions for Great Lakes restoration. What does that mean for projects across the Great Lakes, including research on harmful algae and Asian carp prevention efforts

http://www.npr.org/2017/07/10/536505365/trumps-budget-plan-proposes-cuts-to-great-lakes-restoration-projects

Heard on Marketplace—July 7, 2017

Trump budget casts doubt on Great Lakes cleanup 

Long-standing plans to clean up the headwaters of Lake Superior have been thrown into doubt by Trump administration budget priorities. 

https://www.marketplace.org/2017/07/07/economy/troubled-waters-trump-budget-casts-great-lakes-cleanup-doubt

 

Heard on Here & Now—June 30, 2017

Bald Eagles face threat from lead poisoning

In the 1960s, the American bald eagle was nearly extinct due to the pesticide DDT and habitat destruction. DDT was banned in 1972, and the eagle population rebounded. But now, there's a new threat: lead ammunition.

 https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/06/30/bald-eagles-lead-poisoning

 

Heard on Science Friday—June 16, 2017

What does President Trump's budget plan mean for the Great Lakes?

​Host Ira Flatow interviews reporter Elizabeth Miller on the budget, which eliminates $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and cuts spending to key agencies.

​ https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/can-the-great-lakes-stay-great/

 

Heard on Marketplace—June 16, 2017

How do you retrofit an old industrial waterfront? Cleveland's finding out.

Cleveland has a lot of new development planned along Lake Erie. But forging connections to the business district has been a problem here and in other Great Lakes cities.

https://www.marketplace.org/2017/06/16/sustainability/how-you-retrofit-old-industrial-waterfront-cleveland-finding-out

 

Heard on Here & Now—May 3, 2017
Upstate New York Residents Scramble To Hold Back Lake Ontario
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a state of emergency on Tuesday in response to flooding along the south shore of Lake Ontario, where the water is almost two feet higher than usual.
Veronica Volk of Here & Now contributor Great Lakes Today went to Port Bay, New York, where residents are scrambling to hold back the lake.
 
Heard on Marketplace—May 1, 2017
Great Lakes community contemplates nuclear plant closure
Back in the 1970s and '80s, Great Lakes beaches were the perfect spot for nuclear power plants. The fresh water helped cool nuclear reactors and small, lakeshore towns got jobs. Today nuclear power plants are finding it hard to compete with cheaper energy sources, forcing some to shut down. That’s divided one community on Lake Michigan that relies on Palisades Nuclear Power Plant.
 
Heard on The Takeaway—April 25, 2017
Trump's Budget Could Threaten Great Lakes Restoration
Across the Great Lakes region, people are paying close attention to President Donald Trump's budget proposal. In the proposal, the president calls for steep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies charged with caring for the environment. The president's plan could eliminate $300 million in annual funding for clean up of the Great Lakes.
 
Heard on All Things Considered—April 24, 2017
Hacking Lake Erie: Tech Competition Seeks Solutions To Water-Related Problems
A technology competition seeks solutions to Lake Erie's biggest problems, including harmful algae blooms and aging water systems. Teams in cities around the region are competing for thousands of dollars in prize money and consulting services to create apps and other tools.
 
Heard on Morning Edition—April 13, 2017
Harbor Town Raises Money After Government Help Falls Short
The harbor in Leland, Mich., is so packed with sand and silt that boats can't get in or out. So the town turned to a crowd-funding website to raise money to buy its own dredging equipment.
 
 
Heard on Here & Now—March 24, 2017
From Roller Derby To Ice Cream, Great Lakes Region Embraces 'Lake Effect' Name
Residents in the Great Lakes region know all too well about "lake effect" snow — when cold, dry air passes over the warmer lakes, it generates heavy winter storms.
 
Heard on The Current—March 16, 2017
'Never thought it would be that deep': Unstable winter ice poses serious risk
This year has a been particularly bad year for falling through the ice of the Great Lakes.
 
Heard on Morning Edition—March 9, 2017
Warm Winter Can Be Deadly For Snowmobilers And Ice Fishermen
The unusually warm winter has proven deadly in the northeast. More than a dozen people, including snowmobilers and ice fishermen, have died when they fell through thin lake ice.
 
Heard on All Things Considered—February 8, 2017
The Wings On The Bus Go ... Wait, What?
School traffic never bothers Max Schneider. In the airplane he takes to class every day, his commute is pretty easy. It's nearly 7:30 a.m. when a small, five-passenger Piper Saratoga plane takes off from the mainland in Port Clinton, Ohio. Pilot Bob Ganley is on his way to pick up students heading to school.
 
Heard on Marketplace—February 8, 2017
Repairs keep Great Lakes shipping industry working through winter
It’s the end of the workday at Great Lakes Towing, a company that proudly points to its 118-year history and founder John D. Rockefeller. Three men secured in harnesses weld on the bow of a new tugboat they’re building, a boat that will assist ships in emergencies and break ice in the Cleveland Harbor.
 
Seen on PBS Newshour—January 23, 2017
You can thank Ohio’s tropical sea for your winter road salt
In our NewsHour Shares moment of the day, visit an Ohio mine that provides the de-icing rock salt that stops your road from becoming a virtual slip-and-slide in the winter.
 
Heard on Here & Now—January 12, 2017
For Anglers, 'Steelhead Alley' Shines In Winter
Winter on the Great Lakes means that a seasonal pastime is underway. Anglers' quest to catch a popular fish brings an economic bump to an area known as "Steelhead Alley."
 
Heard on Here & Now—December 6, 2016
Princess Cruise Lines' Illegal Ocean Dumping Part Of Bigger Problem
Carnival's Princess Cruise Lines is set to pay a $40 million fine for illegally dumping oil-contaminated waste into the ocean over the course of eight years, and lying to cover it up. It's the largest criminal penalty ever levied against a cruise line for intentional pollution. But Princess is not the only company doing this.
 
Heard on Here & Now—November 16, 2016
Why One Ohio Museum Is Searching For World War II Pilots
The head of the National Museum of the Great Lakes is on a quest. He's trying to locate Navy pilots who trained on Lake Michigan during World War II. It's a little known chapter of the lake's history.
 
Heard on All Things Considered — September 5, 2016
Scientists Explore Purple Microbial Mats In The Depths Of Lake Huron
Researchers from around the world are visiting Lake Huron to look at purple mats deep below the water's surface. They believe these mats could explain how the Earth's oxygen rich air developed 2.4 billion years ago. http://www.npr.org/2016/09/05/492727566/scientists-explore-purple-microbial-mats-in-the-depths-of-lake-huron
 
Heard on Morning Edition — August 24, 2016
Great Lakes Waters Can Take A Savage Toll On Swimmers
The Great Lakes have more coastline for beaches than the United States' East and West coasts combined. There are thousands of beaches — and dozens of drownings each year, in part because of dangerous currents that are very different from those found in the ocean. 
 
Heard on All Things Considered — August 17, 2016
After Decades Away, It Took Just A Day To Bring This Lighthouse Home
How do you move a 12,000-pound, 120-year-old lighthouse across a river? Very slowly.
 

Heard on All Things Considered — July 26, 2016

On Lake Huron, underwater treasures boost tourism

A marine sanctuary that promises a glimpse of shipwrecks is luring tourists to the shores of Lake Huron. 

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/26/487522863/in-lake-huron-underwater-treasures-and-a-marine-sanctuary-boost-tourism-industry

 

Heard on Here & Now — July 21, 2016

Once burning, Cuyahoga River rises again

The Cuyahoga River once caught fire and was a national punch line. But now some in the Cleveland area are embracing the term "Burning River."  

http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/07/21/cuyahoga-river-rises