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In episode 1002, come aboard a tugboat that has delivered mail to boats on the Great Lakes since 1874, learn about life on a Great Lakes freighter, and dive into…
Letters, Packages, Pizzas: The duties of the mail boat have changed with the evolution of delivery
The J.W. Westcott Co. has a long-established reputation as a mail boat, delivering letters and messages to freighters passing through the Detroit River, but that no longer encompasses what the boat does.
Boat Life: The ups and downs of life as a mail boat captain
Great Lakes Now talked to Sam Buchanan, senior boat captain and general manager of the J.W. Westcott, about what it’s like being a boat captain.
Anchor Awareness: Michigan Gov. Whitmer issues emergency order after video of Line 5 damage is released
Whitmer also wrote to the U.S. Coast Guard requesting that it create a rule similar to Michigan’s on anchor dragging to cover foreign ships.
Few Rights: What to watch out for as a passenger on a cruise ship
Great Lakes Now spoke with maritime attorney Gary Baun on what it means to be a passenger on a cruise ship and what cautions passengers can take when it comes to legal issues.
Pipeline Footage Sparks New Concerns: Read up on updates and history of Enbridge’s Line 5
video showing Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5 pipeline taking damage was recently released, sparking a new debate on the risks of having an oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac.
Specials from Great Lakes Now
Great Lakes Now – New Monthly Series
A network of PBS stations to work together to cover crucial issues affecting the well-being and future of the Great Lakes.
The Forever Chemicals
Learn more about the PFAS family of chemicals and watch the Great Lakes Now program. Premieres March 28, 2019.
Tapping the Great Lakes
Water withdrawals remain a controversial issue in the Great Lakes. Learn about two of them in this Great Lakes Now program.
Beneath the Surface: The Line 5 Pipeline in the Great Lakes
Now an ongoing political issue, the history of Enbridge Line 5 in the Mackinac Straits goes back decades. Watch the Great Lakes Now documentary about the oil-and-gas pipeline.
The Seven Generation River
Visit a Native American community in the Great Lakes region and see how members protect water, using traditional culture along with technology.
The Door Flint Opened: America’s Drinking Water Crisis
When lead leached into the drinking water in this Michigan town, it changed how journalists and authors thought about water issues in their own communities. Hear from them about their work and what impact it had.