Pulse of the Great Lakes

11/09/2025

Political Violence is America's Brand.

https://greatlakespulse.com/political-violence-wears-a-suit/

September 10, 2025. Today. The day Charlie Kirk—far-right political activist, champion of hate, and defender of a world ruled by rich white men—was shot in the neck and killed as he spewed division from a stage in Utah.

06/08/2025

The Great Lakes Basin Region is home to many incredible authors who have captured the grit, beauty, complexity, and spirit of this place in every line they write—shaped by shoreline towns, rustbelt cities, wild forests, and deep waters.

We highlight five Great Lakes authors that you should read this fall. It's a perfect time for a great book, story, or essay.

Pick from the list below. If you know of an author that is from or based in the Great Lakes Basin Region, let us know in the comments. They make make our next list.

The Great Lakes Basin Bookshelf. The Great Lakes Basin is full of stories. They live in the jagged shorelines of the Upper Peninsula, the small towns tucked along Lake Erie, and the historic harbors of Ontario.

06/08/2025

It starts quietly.
A school closes. A few kids leave for a charter. Funding gets cut. Teachers don’t come back.

And then one day, the heart of a community is gone.

Across the Great Lakes Basin, it’s happening more than you think—and it’s not by accident.

This story looks at how school privatization is hollowing out our towns, what it means for our future, and why it’s time we paid attention.

Read the full article by clicking below.

The slow death of public schools is hollowing out communities across the Great Lakes Basin and beyond—and it’s no accident.

03/08/2025

Did you know?

The magic is real.

Photos courtesy of Beaver Island Dark Sky Project

Beaver Island Retreat
Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Friends of Beaver Island

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM5fKtesW8J/?igsh=OGQybjlvYXNrY2s5

02/08/2025

I know a lot of people are feeling like this right now.

I've been in politics since I was 15 (40 years), so I've always felt this way.

It can be heavy.

Make sure you take some time for yourself. ❤️

It's a matter of strength.

Vulnerability is a Superpower.

And if it's not around the people you surround yourself with, you need to surround yourself with new people.

02/08/2025

There is so much magic within the Great Lakes Basin.

Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Beaver Island Retreat
Beaver Island Dark Sky Project

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM1UEQzMQVb/?igsh=MXBhY3RkMWNvY3BoMg==

01/08/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMz-7-LsPsa/?igsh=ZmJnYWdoMTBpZjRv

31/07/2025

It's up to us.