Island Life

SEGMENT 1  |  LAKE ERIE ISLANDS, OHIO

Experience life between the tourist seasons on South Bass and Kelleys islands

Dozens of Great Lakes islands are home to year-round residents – not just places for summer visits.

In advance of this year’s tourist season, Great Lakes Now visited South Bass and Kelleys islands, located in southern Lake Erie. CC Wisniewski helped Host Ward Detwiler learn about life on the islands, particularly from the perspective of some of the young people. She teaches music on one island and coaches the school sailing team on another.

Her students know they’ve got a unique home:

“It’s quiet, there’s so many animals and nature and you can ride your bike around with nobody around,” says Viktoriya, who is one of six students at Kelleys Island Local School.

Explore our map of Great Lakes islands where people live year-round >

Shipping News

SEGMENT 2  |  CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Great Lakes shipping helps goods and supplies get around the country

Freighters hauling cargo around the Great Lakes are iconic images for the region.

But what happens when they get to port?

Coal, cement, steel, salt and lumber all move through the site – enough volume to support over 6,000 jobs and some $500 million in direct business revenue. But when you look around the port’s facilities, you see acres of steel in all shapes and sizes.

“What you should be able to see is the economy growing,” says Clayton Harris, executive director of the Illinois International Port District.  

Great Lakes Now toured the Illinois International Port in Chicago – where Lake Michigan connects to the Calumet River, the Interstation Highway System and rail networks.

PFAS in Ann Arbor

SEGMENT 3  |  ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN

When industrial chemicals get in a city’s water supply

The Huron River is where the city of Ann Arbor draws its water for drinking. So what happens when an emerging group of industrial chemicals known as “PFAS” shows up in the water?

In partnership with MLive Media Group, Great Lakes Now learned how the municipal water treatment facility is improving the water quality for residents and what lessons that has for other cities that may have similar problems.

“Impacting the Huron River is a big issue for us because that’s where we get the majority of our drinking water,” says Brian Steglitz, water treatment manager for the City of Ann Arbor.

Answers to Audience PFAS Questions

SEGMENT 4

After we aired “The Forever Chemicals,” we collected questions from viewers like you.

As part of our partnership with MLive Media Group, we asked Reporter Paula Gardner, who has been reporting on PFAS contamination in southeast Michigan, to help us answer some of your questions.

We tackled:

1. Can chemicals be removed from drinking water using an ultraviolet light? >>

FROM VIEWER MABYN  |  KINGSTON, ONTARIO

2. How do I know if my drinking water is safe? >>

FROM VIEWER MARIANNA  |  PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

3. Where is PFAS water contamination besides the Huron River in southeast Michigan? >>

FROM VIEWER DAIDRIA  |  BROOKLYN, NEW YORK