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Great Lakes Now

@greatlakesnow.bsky.social

3.6K followers 700 following 660 posts

Catch our monthly show — produced by Detroit PBS — on our network of stations in the Midwest. Get the latest news and program updates in our weekly newsletter: greatlakesnow.org/great-lakes-now-newsletter/

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Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 7h

Can milkweed kill spotted lanternflies? Learn about how a community observation became a research question: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/29/i...

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Is milkweed the nemesis needed for spotted lanternflies? - Great Lakes Now

Can milkweed kill spotted lanternflies? A community observation becomes a research question.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

A new children’s book seeks to tell the story of how fire is not just destructive, but also life-giving according to Anishinaabe teachings. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/30/a...

greatlakesnow.org

Ishkode: A Collaboration Forged by Fire - Great Lakes Now

A new children’s book seeks to tell the story of fire from many perspectives, and how the element is not just destructive, but also life-giving according to Anishinaabe history.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Join a team of divers and scientists working to uncover what happens beneath the ice in the first part of a new documentary. And learn how specially treated trees could help slow the spread of spotted lanternflies. Watch the new episode MONDAY, 9/28 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS: youtu.be/8OuihpmYC2Q

Diving in Ice and Smashing Bugs | Great Lakes Now | Episode Preview

YouTube video by Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The move by tribes follows the Whitmer administration’s request for a state agency to review the same permits using new guidance from a Michigan Supreme Court ruling. Story by @iprnews.bsky.social and @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/23/m...

greatlakesnow.org

Michigan tribes file request to overturn state permits for Line 5 tunnel - Great Lakes Now

The move by tribes follows the Whitmer administration's request for a state agency to review the same permits using new guidance from a Michigan Supreme Court ruling.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Fish kills are not uncommon in the Great Lakes region. Recently, more than 24,000 fish were killed on Ohio’s Maumee River. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/16/o...

greatlakesnow.org

Ohio Fertilizer Spill Leads to Fish Kill - Great Lakes Now

Fish kills are not uncommon in the Great Lakes region. Recently, more than 24,000 fish were killed on Ohio’s Maumee River.

Reposted by Great Lakes Now

Hidden Below: The Great Lakes @hiddenbelow.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Yesterday, we joined forces with @greatlakesnow.bsky.social and NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for the first-ever livestream from Lake Huron’s Middle Island Sinkhole. A huge thank you to everyone who tuned in and asked questions! Check it out. 👇 www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNLr...

Sinkhole Odyssey | Hidden Below: Live

YouTube video by Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Federal agencies say opening these lands will reduce wildfire risks and make timber more accessible. Experts, however, say the government is contradicting itself. Story by @insideclimatenews.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/16/f...

greatlakesnow.org

Formal Repeal of Roadless Rule Directly Threatens Midwest Wilderness - Great Lakes Now

Federal agencies say opening these lands will reduce wildfire risks and make timber more accessible. Experts, however, say the government is contradicting itself.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Yesterday, we explored one of the most unique ecosystems of the Great Lakes. We teamed up with @hiddenbelow.bsky.social and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for the first-ever livestream from Middle Island Sinkhole. You can watch it here if you missed it: youtube.com/live/PNLrp40...

Sinkhole Odyssey | Hidden Below: Live

YouTube video by Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Long before Trump’s tariff war and attempts to change the name of Lake Ontario, Canada and the U.S. made an agreement to clean up the most polluted sites on the Great Lakes. Just recently, Nipigon Bay became one of the success stories. Story by @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/16/o...

greatlakesnow.org

Once polluted by industry, a Lake Superior bay is now in the clear - Great Lakes Now

Long before Trump’s tariff war and attempts to change the name of Lake Ontario, Canada and the U.S. made an agreement to clean up the most polluted sites on the Great Lakes. Just recently, Nipigon Bay...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Travel back in time today! We're teaming up with @hiddenbelow.bsky.social and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary to take you on a journey to a prehistoric underwater world. Tune in LIVE at 11 AM ET: www.facebook.com/events/17529...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

We asked our audience what they thought about President Trump's decision to rename Lake Ontario. Here are some of those responses: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/09/o...

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Overwhelming majority of Great Lakes Now audience will not recognize 'Lake America' - Great Lakes Now

For one week, we asked what our community thinks about the U.S. president’s decision to rename Lake Ontario.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

It’s been two weeks since a truck rolled into an excavation site for Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline and caused what is thought to be among the largest natural gas spills in Wisconsin history. Catch the latest energy news from around the region: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/09/l...

greatlakesnow.org

Line 5 pipeline still shut down 2 weeks after natural gas spill - Great Lakes Now

More energy news as Gary, Indiana suffers a prolonged power outage and a Michigan utility asks for more time to negotiate a contentious plan to sell 13 aging dams.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is home to at least 10 underwater sinkholes. On 9/16 at 11 AM ET, we're teaming up with @hiddenbelow.bsky.social and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for a livestreamed exploration of this underwater world: www.greatlakesnow.org/hiddenbelow/

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

President Trump recently issued an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Google and Apple Maps have already made the change. We want to know what you think. Take our poll: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/02/p...

greatlakesnow.org

Poll: Lake Ontario or Lake America? - Great Lakes Now

How do you feel about the U.S. renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America?" The Great Lakes News Collaborative wants to know your thoughts.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Some city residents went two weeks without power following storms. The federal program, ended by Trump, would have enabled many to access solar and batteries. Story by @canarymedia.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/09/01/g...

greatlakesnow.org

Gary power outage underscores stakes of Solar for All cancellation - Great Lakes Now

Some city residents went two weeks without power following storms. The federal program, ended by Trump, would have enabled many to access solar and batteries.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

TONIGHT on Great Lakes Now! An expedition descends to the Great Lakes’ deepest point for the first time in 40 years. Watch "Superior Maximus: The Deepest Point in the Great Lakes" at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS or stream it on-demand at GreatLakesNow.org.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Enbridge says it’s working around the clock to safely remove remaining vapors from a stretch of its Line 5 pipeline following a gas leak in Iron County. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/31/e...

greatlakesnow.org

Enbridge temporarily halts work on Line 5 reroute after 1.3M gallon gas leak - Great Lakes Now

Canadian energy firm has begun work to burn off around 84K gallons of remaining natural gas liquids.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

While Indianapolis recovers from historic flooding, water experts met at the annual White River Alliance’s Indiana Water Summit to plan how to keep Indiana’s water clean. Story by @mirrorindy.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/28/f...

greatlakesnow.org

‘Forever chemicals,’ microplastics and data centers. What you need to know. - Great Lakes Now

Officials in Indiana discussed the state’s clean water supply at the 9th annual Indiana Water Summit.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Did you know there's a sinkhole in Lake Huron that looks like Earth 2.5 billion years ago? We're presenting the first-ever livestreamed exploration of this underwater world on 9/16 at 11am ET with @hiddenbelow.bsky.social and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary: www.greatlakesnow.org/hiddenbelow/

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Farmers in the region are facing decisions about how to best keep land in production as land values rise, climate change threatens operations and a younger generation chooses not to farm. Story by @iprnews.bsky.social and @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/28/a...

greatlakesnow.org

As family farms decline, more Michigan farmers try to preserve their land - Great Lakes Now

Farmers in the region are facing decisions about how to best keep land in production as land values rise, climate change threatens operations, and a younger generation chooses not to farm.

Reposted by Great Lakes Now

CNN @cnn.com · 27/08/2026

Trump signs executive order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America," escalating ongoing tensions between the US and Canada cnn.it/4qGR8QH

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

More than 1,300 feet beneath the surface of Lake Superior lies the deepest point in the Great Lakes. On our latest episode, descend into this remote underwater world to discover how it was first explored and what scientists are still learning about today. Watch it 8/31 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS!

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

After failed trade negotiations, President Trump threatened to rename Lake Ontario. This is not the first time in the last two years that a U.S. politician suggested changing the name of one of the Great Lakes. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/26/w...

greatlakesnow.org

Will the U.S. rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America?' - Great Lakes Now

After failed trade negotiations, U.S. Pres. Trump threatened to rename one of the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Two years ago, a bill was introduced to redesignate the Apostle Islands as a national park. While some elected and economic development officials backed the proposal, it was met with immediate pushback from local communities and Lake Superior tribes. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/24/a...

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Should Apostle Islands be a national park? Some say proposal lacks community buy-in. - Great Lakes Now

While supporters see proposal as an economic boost, local and tribal officials say infrastructure is lacking.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

More than 200,000 people canoe around North America each year. Learn more about the legendary northern canoeist and adventurer Bob O’Hara who popularized this pastime. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/20/r...

greatlakesnow.org

Riverman, paddling through the Boundary Waters - Great Lakes Now

More than 200,000 people canoe around North America each year. Learn more about the legendary northern canoeist and adventurer Bob O'Hara who popularized this pastime.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

What can Lake Huron tell us about early life on Earth? We're teaming up with @hiddenbelow.bsky.social and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary on 9/16 at 11 AM ET to take you on a livestreamed journey to Middle Island Sinkhole, a remarkable underwater ecosystem: www.facebook.com/events/17529...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

For over a decade, Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 has been the center of a political and environmental battle in Michigan. But, in recent weeks, that debate has only become more complicated: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/18/l...

greatlakesnow.org

Line 5’s future is still uncertain. Here’s what to know - Great Lakes Now

A refresher on Line 5’s history, and where experts think the legal battle is headed.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Some lake sturgeon swimming in the Great Lakes today may have been alive for centuries, according to new research that suggests scientists have significantly underestimated the fish’s lifespan. Story by @bridgemi.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/13/t...

greatlakesnow.org

Think you’re getting old? New study says Michigan sturgeon may live to 400 - Great Lakes Now

Some lake sturgeon swimming in the Great Lakes today may have been alive for centuries, according to new research that suggests scientists have significantly underestimated the fish’s lifespan.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

In Lyon Township, Michigan, some residents waited more than five hours to speak about a proposed 1.8-million-square-foot data center. This sight is becoming increasingly common as communities balance the future of infrastructure and community concern. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/13/a...

greatlakesnow.org

Are Data Centers the 'Roads of the Future'? Inside the AI Infrastructure Debate - Great Lakes Now

As artificial intelligence fuels a nationwide data center boom, public officials are weighing economic benefits with environmental and community impacts.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Illinois is the first Great Lakes state to classify plastic pellets as a pollutant, a move advocates say helps keep millions of pellets out of the region’s waterways. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/12/i...

greatlakesnow.org

Illinois Governor signs landmark plastic pollution bill to protect Great Lakes - Great Lakes Now

Illinois is the first Great Lakes state to classify plastic pellets as a pollutant, a move advocates say helps keep millions of pellets out of the region’s waterways.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

A decade-long shoreline restoration project is reviving habitat along Lake St. Clair, while fulfilling landscape architect Jens Jensen’s nearly century-old vision. Read more: live-great-lakes-now.pantheonsite.io/2026/08/07/f...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Dive to the bottom the Great Lakes and chances are you’ll encounter a carpet of invasive quagga mussels. In All Too Clear, @hiddenbelow.bsky.social uses cutting-edge underwater camera technology to explore the lakes (and the mussels) like never before. Watch it now: www.pbs.org/show/all-too...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Long before green algae coats Lake Erie’s shoreline, researchers use river data, weather patterns and satellites to forecast blooms and their potential impacts. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/04/h...

greatlakesnow.org

How scientists can predict Lake Erie's harmful algal blooms months before they appear - Great Lakes Now

Long before green algae coats Lake Erie's shoreline, researchers use river data, weather patterns and satellites to forecast blooms and their potential impacts.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Northern Ontario’s record wildfire season exposed gaps in emergency management for First Nations communities. Read more from @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/03/f...

greatlakesnow.org

First Nations had a wildfire plan. Ontario ignored it. Then came the flames - Great Lakes Now

Premier Doug Ford was presented with dozens of recommendations to improve emergency response in northern Ontario. Little progress was made before what's now estimated to be the province's worst wildfi...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

The court ruled that the Michigan Public Service Commission’s review of a key permit for the petroleum pipeline tunnel was overly narrow, failing to consider whether the tunnel will harm public trust resources. Story by @bridgemi.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/08/03/m...

greatlakesnow.org

Michigan Supreme Court vacates key Line 5 permit - Great Lakes Now

The court ruled that the Michigan Public Service Commission’s review of a key permit for the petroleum pipeline tunnel was overly narrow, failing to consider whether the tunnel will harm public trust ...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

In Wisconsin, @tomkertschernews.bsky.social of @wisconsinwatch.org has been reporting on how developers have been using non-disclosure agreements to keep information about proposed data centers under wraps. Check out our conversation: youtu.be/xgmXCmOdYuM

What Data Center Developers Don't Want Wisconsin To Know | Freshwater People

YouTube video by Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

A Black-run boating club, Cleveland’s Inter City Yacht Club, was founded at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s — making it one of the first established anywhere in the country. Read more: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/29/t...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Nearly half of Great Lakes beachgoers rarely or never check water quality before swimming, according to a new study by researchers at @torontomet.bsky.social. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/29/g...

greatlakesnow.org

Going to the beach? Check the water quality - Great Lakes Now

Nearly half of Great Lakes beachgoers rarely or never check water quality before swimming, according to a new study by researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Quadrillions of tiny mussels are reshaping the Great Lakes. In our latest episode, we bring you an excerpt from "All Too Clear." Also, Ohioans are pushing back against data centers. Zaria Johnson from Ideastream Public Media tells us why. Watch it MONDAY, 7/27 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS!

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

There are seven Ojibwe Nations in Minnesota and five of these communities have embraced alternative energy sources over the last decade. And now, there are six. Bois Forte has made the leap to energy sovereignty through a program called The Solar Commons. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/23/n...

greatlakesnow.org

No One Owns the Sun - Great Lakes Now

Building energy ingenuity through a solar commons in Ojibwe country.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

For the first time, Michigan’s Fisheries Division is getting funding specifically for whitefish recovery, but officials say it's not enough to solve the ecosystem issues causing the species' decline. Story by @michiganpublic.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/23/m...

greatlakesnow.org

Michigan fisheries get one-time funding for whitefish restoration - Great Lakes Now

For the first time, Michigan’s Fisheries Division is getting funding specifically for whitefish recovery, but officials say it's not enough to solve the ecosystem issues causing the species' decline.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Read our latest on how pets and animals are impacted by prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/21/h...

greatlakesnow.org

How wildfire smoke impacts pets and wildlife - Great Lakes Now

As smoke spreads, experts explain how animals can suffer serious health effects and what we can do to help.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Despite “adverse” impacts on ecological and tribal resources, state regulators said these updates to Line 5's permits are better than an oil spill in the Great Lakes. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/17/l...

greatlakesnow.org

Line 5 tunnel in Michigan clears major permitting hurdle, in blow to opposition - Great Lakes Now

Despite "adverse" impacts on ecological and tribal resources, state regulators said it's better than an oil spill in the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Rural Indiana helped power America’s 20th-century coal boom. Now, many communities are living with growing piles of toxic coal ash, and the health impacts that come with them. Read more from @circleofblue.bsky.social www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/15/a...

greatlakesnow.org

Air quality alerts issued for northern Michigan as wildfire smoke blankets region - Great Lakes Now A boat sits on Duck Lake near Interlochen on Wednesday afternoon, amid thick wildfire smoke that pou...

Events were canceled and people were urged to stay indoors amid warnings of health risks from the plume drifting down from Minnesota and Canada.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

“There is ash on our cars right now and it smells like burning tires,” Jenny Clasman, executive director of the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce said following Air Quality alerts being issued in northern Michigan. Read more about the effects of the wildfires: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/15/a...

greatlakesnow.org

Air quality alerts issued for northern Michigan as wildfire smoke blankets region - Great Lakes Now A boat sits on Duck Lake near Interlochen on Wednesday afternoon, amid thick wildfire smoke that pou...

Events were canceled and people were urged to stay indoors amid warnings of health risks from the plume drifting down from Minnesota and Canada.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

While urbanization continues to displace natural ecosystems across the Great Lakes region, the black-crowned night heron has managed to adapt to city life. Read more about the endangered bird’s life Chicago: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/15/r...

greatlakesnow.org

Refuge in the Windy City: Declining wetland bird makes a home in downtown Chicago - Great Lakes Now

While urbanization continues to displace natural ecosystems across the Great Lakes region, one declining wetland bird has managed to adapt to city life — the black-crowned night heron.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Indiana has the most coal ash sites in the country. Now it wants to be the first state in the Great Lakes region to oversee how the toxic waste from coal-burning power plants is disposed of and managed. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/14/i...

greatlakesnow.org

Indiana wants to be in charge of its own coal ash dumps - Great Lakes Now

More energy news as Ohio makes hundreds of millions from fracking beneath public lands and a shuttered Michigan nuclear plant nears a highly anticipated restart.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Friends of the Detroit River needs $350 million in matching funds to complete a cleanup of 3.6 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment. Story by @planetdetroit.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/10/d...

greatlakesnow.org

Detroit River tour highlights restoration successes, $1-billion cleanup hurdle: ‘We all have a role to play’ - Great Lakes Now

The Detroit River lost 97% of its coastal wetlands to development but remains one of the most biologically important Great Lakes waterways, with millions of fish spawning there each spring.

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Invasive mussels are stripping the Great Lakes of nutrients that baby whitefish need to survive. Could this doom the species? All Too Clear is a documentary by @hiddenbelow.bsky.social that uses cutting edge technology to explore the lakes like never before: video.detroitpbs.org/video/all-to...

Great Lakes Now @greatlakesnow.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

People filled a meeting on Wednesday to voice support for a temporary ban on data centers. The township is the latest northern Michigan municipality to consider such a move as local and regional pushback grows. Story by @iprnews.bsky.social and @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/09/g...

greatlakesnow.org

Garfield Township inches closer to a possible data center moratorium - Great Lakes Now

People filled a township planning commission meeting on Wednesday to voice support for a temporary ban on data centers. The township is the latest northern Michigan municipality to consider such a mov...