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In: Chicago, Climate change, Collaboration, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, The States
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker set ambitious climate goals for the state. It’s far from meeting them.

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/illinois-gov-jb-pritzker-set-ambitious-climate-goals-for-the-state-its-far-from-meeting-them/

WBEZ

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In: Asian carp, Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, invasive species, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Carp Catch-22: Could improvements in Chicago waterways invite unwelcome guests?

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/carp-catch-22-could-improvements-in-chicago-waterways-invite-unwelcome-guests/

WBEZ

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In: Authors, Chicago, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Fish, Birds and Animals, Illinois, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, News, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
How do fish survive in large urban waterways, like the Chicago River?

How fish adapt to life in large urban rivers, like the Chicago River, is one of the questions Dr. Austin Happel is trying to answer at the Shedd Aquarium.

“Knowing where different fish species are hanging out, we can look around that area and kind of understand what that habitat looks like and what it’s providing for them,” Happel said.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/how-do-fish-survive-in-large-urban-waterways-like-the-chicago-river/

Kathy Johnson, Great Lakes Now

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In: Chicago, Climate change, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research
Chicago’s beach season is over … or is it? Lake Michigan temps are breaking records.

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/chicagos-beach-season-is-over-or-is-it-lake-michigan-temps-are-breaking-records/

WBEZ

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In: Chicago, Climate change, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research
Chicago reveals climate havens don’t exist — they must be created

Experts now say “climate havens” are not places immune from climate change, but areas where adequate preparation is implemented to account for a drastically different climate than anticipated.

Great Lakes cities, like Chicago, are generally considered to be at a lower risk for extreme climate impacts such as wildfires and tropical storms.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/chicago-reveals-climate-havens-dont-exist-they-must-be-created/

Mia Litzenberg

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In: Chicago, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News
South Shore residents are fed up with garbage on their streets

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/08/south-shore-residents-are-fed-up-with-garbage-on-their-streets/

WBEZ

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In: Advocacy, Chicago, Climate change, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research
Chicago teachers demand climate solutions in their next contract

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Grist

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/08/chicago-teachers-demand-climate-solutions-in-their-next-contract/

Grist

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In: Chicago, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
In Chicago, one neighborhood is fighting gentrification and climate change at the same time

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Grist

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/04/in-chicago-one-neighborhood-is-fighting-gentrification-and-climate-change-at-the-same-time/

Grist

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In: Chicago, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Faced with COVID-era civil rights complaints, Chicago commits to environmental justice

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Wajeeha Kamal, Great Lakes Echo

Chicago is joining a nationwide trend of large cities incorporating equity or justice goals into preparing for climate change’s impact on public health.

The idea is to better protect Black, Hispanic, Indigenous and other socially vulnerable and marginalized communities.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/faced-with-covid-era-civil-rights-complaints-chicago-commits-to-environmental-justice/

Great Lakes Echo

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Chicago could be first major Midwestern city to ban gas in new construction

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. 

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/chicago-could-be-first-major-midwestern-city-to-ban-gas-in-new-construction/

Grist

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Army Corps plans $1 billion barricade to deter invasive carp at Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/army-corps-plans-1-billion-barricade-to-deter-invasive-carp-at-illinois-and-des-plaines-rivers/

WBEZ

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In: AP, Chicago, electric vehicles, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Municipalities, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winter’s challenges

By Tom Krishner, AP Auto Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — The No. 66 bus is packed on a recent weekday afternoon as it starts and stops its way from Chicago’s near west side to Navy Pier along the Lake Michigan shore.

The seats and windows squeak and rattle just like a regular diesel bus, but no one seems to notice the high-pitched whine of the electric motor that makes it go.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/03/ap-adapting-electric-buses-winter-challenge/

The Associated Press

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In: Authors, Chicago, Energy, Energy News Roundup, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Indiana, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, News, Ohio, Ontario, Wisconsin
Energy News Roundup: Community programs to provide solar for low-income residents in Illinois, Ohio

Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

 

Illinois

  • Chicago company brings climate-friendly development to communities that need it most — Energy News Network

A project that combines energy efficiency, solar power and electrification is part of developer A.J.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/01/energy-news-roundup-programs-provide-solar-low-income-illinois-ohio/

Kathy Johnson

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In: benton harbor, Budget, Chicago, Drinking Water, epa, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature Lead, Feature-Chicago, Gary Wilson, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Q&A: New EPA Great Lakes administrator talks Benton Harbor, infrastructure, AOC cleanup

Conservation action for Debra Shore started with the driveway at her suburban Chicago home.

It was asphalt, and she wanted to replace it with gravel to absorb the rain and keep pollutants out of the stormwater drains. But her town administration said no to the permit, though it eventually yielded.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/epa-great-lakes-administrator-benton-harbor-infrastructure-cleanup/

Gary Wilson

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In: Budget, Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Indiana, indigenous communities, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, Minnesota, News, News Roundup Drinking Water, Ohio, Ontario, Toronto, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: Indiana iron spill, Michigan lead reduction plan, potential nuclear accident in Ontario

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and
towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to
everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/drinking-water-indiana-iron-michigan-lead-nuclear-ontario/

Maya Sundaresan

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In: AP, Beaches, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, News
Chicago resists putting life rings at risky lake piers

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Park District said it plans to put life rings along the Lake Michigan waterfront but only in areas that are considered safe to swim, upsetting the mother of a college student who drowned off a pier.

“I’m infuriated,“ said Maria Diaz, whose son, Miguel Cisneros, drowned last month in the Rogers Park neighborhood.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/ap-chicago-life-rings-risky-lake-piers/

The Associated Press

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In: AP, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Chicago, Climate change, Drinking Water, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Sensors provide a real-time glimpse at Chicago River quality

By Kathleen Foody, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Rowers, kayakers and other users of the Chicago River are getting a real-time look at one measure of water quality in the system that weaves through downtown and several neighborhoods.

Chicago nonprofit Current in 2019 installed three sensors in the river’s three main branches to continuously estimate the amount of bacteria from human and other warm-blooded animals’ waste.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/ap-sensors-chicago-river-quality/

The Associated Press

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In: AP, Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, News
Illinois woman swims across iconic Michigan lake twice

ALDEN, Mich. (AP) — A medical student from Illinois has swum across one of Michigan’s largest inland lakes — twice — to raise money and awareness about diabetes.

Marian Cardwell accomplished the 35-mile feat at Torch Lake in Antrim County after dropping a plan to swim across Lake Michigan from Chicago to Grand Haven, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-illinois-woman-swims-michigan-torch-lake-twice/

The Associated Press

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In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Chicago, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Indiana, James Proffitt, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Ontario, outdoor recreation, Pennsylvania, Recreation and Tourism, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, sailing, Tourism, Wisconsin
Boating on a Budget: Get off land and onto the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are great for many reasons – their economic power, the lifestyle they provide millions of residents, as a getaway for tens of millions visitors and the livelihood it offers hundreds of thousands in lakes-related industries.

And then there’s the water. Summer sees the lakes filled with people soaking, swimming, skiing – and boating.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/boating-budget-great-lakes-recreation/

James Proffitt

On:
In: Chicago, culture, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Food, history, History and Culture, Illinois, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, museum, New York, thousand islands
Thousand Island Dressing Mystery: Uncertain origins of one of America’s favorite sauces

What do you get when you mix mayonnaise, a vaudeville star, two swanky hotels and a fisherman’s wife?

If you guessed Thousand Island dressing and an age-old mystery, you’d be correct. 

Today, Thousand Island dressing is bottled and sold in grocery stores nationwide. You may even find a simplified version of the dressing (mayonnaise, ketchup or tomato puree, and pickle relish) at your favorite burger spot, masquerading as their “special” or “secret” sauce.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/thousand-island-dressing-uncertain-origins/

Rachel Duckett

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In: canada department of fisheries and oceans, Chicago, Feature-Chicago, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Illinois, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Latest News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Sandra Svoboda, Science, Technology, Research
The Suckers: Great Lakes’ “best supporting fishes” are important to the food web

As an avid angler, Great Lakes Now Host Ward Detwiler has encountered suckers, a bottom-feeding family of fish that are present in all five Great Lakes and spawn in the rivers of the watershed.

But he’s never been terribly mindful of them.

“It’s never something you’re really out looking for,” Detwiler said.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/suckers-scientist-best-supporting-fishes-great-lakes-food-web/

Sandra Svoboda

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Some Chicagoans Wary of Lead Pipe Replacement

By Laura Gersony, Circle of Blue

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

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Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/chicago-wary-lead-pipe-replacement/

Circle of Blue

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In: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Duluth, Feature Cleveland, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, Feature Milwaukee, Feature-Chicago, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, History and Culture, Illinois, Indiana, indigenous communities, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, Michigan, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New York, News, Niagara Falls, Ohio, Ontario, sturgeon, Toronto, Tourism, Wisconsin
See the Sturgeon: The many ways to see, touch and appreciate sturgeon around the region

When the Milwaukee River Lake Sturgeon Reintroduction Project began 16 years ago, success wasn’t immediately apparent.

Having a solid scientific foundation for the project wasn’t the problem: sturgeon were raised in the Milwaukee River so they would return there to spawn when the time came. The problem was that lake sturgeon don’t return to a river to spawn for around 15 years.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/ways-see-touch-appreciate-sturgeon-great-lakes-region/

Noah Bock

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In: birds, Chicago, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Fish, Birds and Animals, History and Culture, Illinois, Latest News, News, Sandra Svoboda
Birds on Film: Filmmaker Bob Dolgan talks about Chicago’s piping plovers with Great Lakes Now

A pair of piping plovers appeared on a busy Chicago beach two years ago, and filmmaker Bob Dolgan recorded the human effort to protect the birds’ nest.

The result: a documentary film. Dolgan shared some of his footage with Great Lakes Now, which can be seen in this segment:

GLN’s Nick Austin spoke with Dolgan about his work chronicling “Monty and Rose,” the plover pair that’s inspired so much conservation of habitat in Chicago.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/birds-film-bob-dolgan-chicago-piping-plovers/

Sandra Svoboda

On:
In: Budget, Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, New York, News Roundup Drinking Water, Ohio, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Drinking Water Roundup: Biden administration invests millions in rural water, treatment plant uses ultraviolet, lead pipe removal in Flint

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Discolored water, manganese in Carlinville a recurring problem – WICS

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., (WICS) — High levels of Manganese in the city of Carlinville’s water is causing the water to turn brown, stain clothes, and more.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/drinking-water-biden-rural-infrastructure-lead-pipe/

Rachel Duckett

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Chicago, Collaboration, equity, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, News, sewer systems
In Chicago, Flooding Overwhelmingly Strikes Communities of Color

By Laura Gersony, Circle of Blue

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/chicago-flooding-infrastructure-communities-color/

Circle of Blue

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In: AP, Chicago, COVID-19, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, News, Recreation and Tourism, Tourism
Chicago’s Adler Planetarium won’t fully reopen until 2022

CHICAGO (AP) — While most of Chicago’s cultural institutions have reopened their doors, the Adler Planetarium won’t do so fully until next year.

The planetarium along Lake Michigan closed in March 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Planetarium officials said in a letter posted on the website earlier this month that they’ll start offering some events in July including weekend screenings of sky shows, but due to financial difficulties the full reopening will be in March 2022.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-chicago-adler-planetarium-reopen-2022/

The Associated Press

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Drinking Water Roundup: Lead pipes in Illinois and Minnesota, rare one-person grand jury used in Flint water criminal case, increased Line 3 pumping

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • A new Illinois law will replace lead water pipes; Moline will begin construction this summer – WQAD 8

MOLINE, Ill.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/lead-pipes-illinois-minnesota-grand-jury-flint-water-line-3/

Rachel Duckett

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In: AP, Beaches, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Chicago, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, News
Chicago man jumps into Lake Michigan for 365th straight day

By Shafkat Anowar, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago bus driver looking for a way to relieve stress during the coronavirus pandemic jumped into Lake Michigan for a 365th straight day on Saturday.

Dan O’Conor said he started jumping into the lake at Montrose Harbor on the city’s North Side last year to relieve stress.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-chicago-man-jumps-into-lake-michigan-for-365th-straight-day/

The Associated Press

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In: AP, Beaches, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Chicago, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, News
Chicago man jumps into Lake Michigan for 365th straight day

By Shafkat Anowar, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago bus driver looking for a way to relieve stress during the coronavirus pandemic jumped into Lake Michigan for a 365th straight day on Saturday.

Dan O’Conor said he started jumping into the lake at Montrose Harbor on the city’s North Side last year to relieve stress.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-chicago-man-jumps-into-lake-michigan-for-365th-straight-day/

The Associated Press

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In: Chicago, Cleveland, Feature Cleveland, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, New York, News, Ohio, PFAS, Research, Research, Data and Technology
Raining PFAS: Amount of PFAS found is outpacing legacy contaminants

A decades-long monitoring project in the Great Lakes basin has started checking for PFAS in rain. It’s finding the forever chemicals across the basin in large amounts.

Those numbers aren’t published yet, but PFAS are showing up in concentrations higher than legacy contaminants like mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and pesticides.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/raining-pfas-outpacing-legacy-contaminants/

Andrew Blok

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In: AP, Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, News, water levels
High waves wash out Chicago beaches as Lake Michigan reopens

CHICAGO (AP) — Beaches in Chicago were washed out by high waves Friday on the first day the city was to reopen Lake Michigan to swimming since summer 2019.

Waves reached up to 11 feet (3.35 meters) high, closing many of the beaches that had been set to open for the first time since Sept.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-high-waves-chicago-beaches-lake-michigan/

The Associated Press

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In: biden administration, Budget, Buffalo, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Chicago, Climate change, Collaboration, COVID-19, Detroit, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, New York, News, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Quebec, The Provinces, The States, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, water shutoffs, Wisconsin
Water Access: As moratoria on shutoffs end, old problems return to the forefront

As moratoria expire across the Great Lakes region, advocates say ongoing affordability and debt relief are key.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/water-shutoffs-debt-infrastructure/

Kari Lydersen

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In: AP, biden administration, Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, News, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
The problem within: Biden targets lead pipes, pushes equity

By Aamer Madhani, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — In the modest bungalows and two-flats of Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, there’s never a shortage of needed home repairs staring residents in the face. And then there is the less obvious but more ominous problem lurking in their pipes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/the-problem-within-biden-targets-lead-pipes-pushes-equity/

The Associated Press

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In: biden administration, Chicago, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Gary Wilson, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water shutoffs
Spotlight on Infrastructure: Policy executive talks new Biden plan, definitions of infrastructure

While President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, officially the American Jobs Plan, emanates from the White House, a veteran Chicago policy executive says we should consider its genesis as broader than top down.

“It is something that cities and regions have requested – full partnership with the federal government – for quite some time,” said MarySue Barrett, president of the non-profit Metropolitan Planning Council.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/infrastructure-biden-administration-policy-qna/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, Lead, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: New York water standards deferrals, microplastics in Pennsylvania

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Brain-damaging Lead Found in Tap Water From Most Illinois Communities During the Past 6 Years – Chicago Tribune

More than 8 of every 10 Illinoisans live in a community where brain-damaging lead was found in the tap water of at least one home during the past six years, a new Chicago Tribune analysis found.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/drinking-water-news-new-york-microplastics-pennsylvania/

Grace Dempsey

On:
In: Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, Lead, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: New York water standards deferrals, microplastics in Pennsylvania

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Brain-damaging Lead Found in Tap Water From Most Illinois Communities During the Past 6 Years – Chicago Tribune

More than 8 of every 10 Illinoisans live in a community where brain-damaging lead was found in the tap water of at least one home during the past six years, a new Chicago Tribune analysis found.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/drinking-water-news-new-york-microplastics-pennsylvania/

Grace Dempsey

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In: biden administration, Chicago, COVID-19, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, epa, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, water shutoffs
Priority Shift: Great Lakes exec moves environmental justice to top of list

Chicago’s Joel Brammeier came of age advocating for the Great Lakes in an era when federal programs that are widely accepted today like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative were barely on the drawing board.

Brammeier started his advocacy work in 2001 when he managed habitat programs for the Lake Michigan Federation, which later became the Alliance for the Great Lakes as its mission expanded.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/great-lakes-environmental-justice-priority/

Gary Wilson

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In: Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, indigenous communities, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Water Withdrawals
Drinking Water News Roundup: Climate change and Illinois water withdrawals, clean water for Michigan students

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

More Illinois Residents Are Turning to Lake Michigan for Their Drinking Water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/drinking-water-climate-change-withdrawals-michigan-quebec-first-nations/

Grace Dempsey

On:
In: Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Indiana, infrastructure, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Water Withdrawals
Drinking Water News Roundup: Joliet picks Chicago, Minnesota road salt, Ohio EPA loans

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Joliet Council Picks Chicago, Not Hammond, to Supply City’s Drinking Water –  Northwest Indiana Times

The city council in Joliet, Illinois has chosen Chicago to be its next water source, despite efforts by Hammond officials to persuade them otherwise.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/01/chicago-lake-michigan-minnesota-road-salt/

Grace Dempsey

On:
In: AP, Asian carp, Budget, Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, invasive species, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Michigan, News, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Deal reached on project to protect lakes from invasive fish

By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Michigan, Illinois and a federal agency have agreed on funding the next phase of an initiative to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes by strengthening defenses on a Chicago-area waterway, officials said Thursday.

The two states and the U.S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/01/ap-deal-reached-brandon-road-project-asian-carp/

The Associated Press

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In: Agriculture, Chicago, contaminated groundwater, Drinking Water, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Indiana, indigenous communities, infrastructure, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Michigan, New York, News, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Water Withdrawals, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: Joliet water supply, contaminated water, support for Wisconsin farmers and water quality

From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle.

Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Chicago Competing With Hammond To Supply Joliet With Drinking Water From Lake Michigan – CBS Chicago

The aquifer that supplies Chicago suburb Joliet’s drinking water is expected to dry up by 2030.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/water-withdrawal-contaminated-farmers-water-quality/

Grace Dempsey

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In: Books, Books, Authors, Art and Music, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Duluth, Feature Cleveland, Feature Detroit, Feature Milwaukee, Feature-Chicago, Food, Grand Rapids, Illinois, Indiana, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Natasha Blakely, New York, News, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Recreation, Recreation, Tourism and Culture, shopping, small business, Toronto, Traverse City, Wisconsin
Great Lakes Gift Guide 2020: Remember that road trip, boat ride, microbrew or sweatshirt you should’ve bought with this list

Want to give your loved ones a holiday gift that connects to that summer trip up north or the fall color tour you took together? 

Or maybe you have a trip planned for after the COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed and want to give them something to remind them they have something to look forward to. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/great-lakes-gift-guide-2020-list/

Natasha Blakely

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In: Chicago, Cleveland, Collaboration, Detroit, Drinking Water, Feature Cleveland, Feature Detroit, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, Michigan, Mott Foundation Partnership, Municipalities, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, philadelphia, utilities, water affordability
Lack of Utility Data Obscures Customer Water Debt Problems

By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/10/utility-data-customer-water-debt-problems/

Circle of Blue

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In: 2020 election, Chicago, Climate change, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature-Chicago, flint, Gary Wilson, Illinois, Latest News, Michigan, News, outdoor recreation, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Recreation, Tourism and Culture, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Policy Expert Q&A: Keep advocating with elected officials for safe drinking water

The Flint water crisis that made national and international headlines was a failure on many levels, according to University of Chicago Professor Sabina Shaikh.

Particularly, it was a public policy failure, Shaikh told Great Lakes Now in an interview, and the failure in Flint put a spotlight on environmental injustices.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/09/policy-expert-advocating-elected-officials-safe-drinking-water/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Chicago, Collaboration, Feature-Chicago, Fish, Birds and Animals, Habitat Restoration, Illinois, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, wetlands
Chicago Wetlands Shrank by 40% During the 20th Century

By Kimberly M. S. Cartier, Eos

This story originally appeared in Eos and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

As Chicago’s industries and population boomed in the late 1800s, city officials decided to reverse the course of the Chicago River so that it flowed away from Lake Michigan.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/09/chicago-wetlands-shrank-40-20th-century/

Eos

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In: Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, museums, Natasha Blakely, News, science, Science, Technology, Research
One Old, One New: Teen project finds meteorite fragments in Lake Michigan

The teenagers and scientists searching for the 2017 meteorite in Lake Michigan found more than they had been looking for, representatives from the team reported yesterday.

In a live update on the Adler Planetarium’s YouTube channel, students and researchers shared two major finds from The Aquarius Project’s years-long attempt to find the meteorite: a sample that could be from that meteorite and a sample from a meteorite much, much older.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/09/aquarius-project-findings-update-meteorite-fragments-lake-michigan/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Missing Meteorite: Did the search in Lake Michigan find it?

Three years after a meteorite crashed into Lake Michigan, the Adler Planetarium is giving a live virtual update on the search to find it.

Join at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT on Thursday, Sept. 10. Watch here:

In February 2017, a meteorite lit up the night sky before crashing into Lake Michigan off the Wisconsin shoreline.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/09/planetarium-update-lake-michigan-meteorite/

GLN Editor

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In: Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, ships
Eastland Documentary: Filmmakers talk behind-the-scenes journey and stories

The latest episode of Great Lakes Now takes a trip to Chicago to learn all about the Eastland tragedy – one that isn’t well known, despite its big impact.

On July 24, 1915, a steamship capsized in the Chicago River, and 844 people drowned.

A documentary about the tragedy, “Eastland: The Shipwreck That Shook America,” is airing on PBS stations around the country.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/08/eastland-documentary-filmmakers-behind-the-scenes/

GLN Editor

On:
In: Chicago, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, Sandra Svoboda, ships
Chicago’s Eastland Disaster: Explore this Great Lakes tragedy with a Storymap

Historic photos, newly discovered film reels, archival accounts from survivors and stories from their descendants are all part of the new documentary “Eastland: The Shipwreck That Shook America.”

The steamship capsized on the Chicago River as hundreds of passengers boarded. Their destination: a day trip to Michigan City, Indiana, just across the southern end of Lake Michigan.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/08/chicago-eastland-disaster-great-lakes-tragedy-storymap/

Sandra Svoboda