Beavers have returned to the Grand Marais, Minnesota, harbor after a long absence, but they’re “taking down trees at an alarming rate,” says Rec. Park Manager Dave Tersteeg in a Cook County News-Herald story. The Park Board is weighing its options and invites the community to shares thoughts and ideas.
+ More beaver news, from WTIP: The Beaver House has closed after 48 years in business. The Grand Marais bait-and-tackle shop, well known for its enormous walleye sculpture, will live on as an online store.
Bentleyville to Stay in Duluth
Duluth Mayor Don Ness and the founder of Bentleyville Tour of Lights reached an agreement this week to keep the popular holiday lights display in town through 2015, reports the Duluth News Tribune.
Nathan Bentley moved the sprawling display from his home in rural Cloquet to Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park in 2009 after traffic and visitation became unwieldy. The previous agreement would have expired after this year.
Winter Storm Wallops the Upper Midwest
A mighty winter storm dumped upwards of a foot of snow on parts of the upper Midwest this week. The eastern Upper Peninsula received as much as 18 inches, prompting many schools in the area to close. The National Weather Service has more snowfall reports for the Lake Superior region.
Got pictures of the storm to share? Send them to photoshare@lakesuperior.com or post them on our Facebook page.
Much to the chagrin of this magazine’s staff, Duluth was untouched by the storm and looks headed for another brown Christmas.
A BIG HEALTHY LAKE: According to a new study, Lake Superior remains the most pristine of the Great Lakes, reports the Livingston Daily, but mining and reduced ice cover in the winter months could threaten the Big Lake’s ecosystem and environmental health.
TOLL INCREASE: The commuter toll on the Mackinac Bridge will increase on Jan. 1 to $2.10 per crossing, according to a release from the Mackinac Bridge Authority, part of an incremental toll increase approved in 2007. The extra toll revenue will fund a long-term maintenance program that includes a complete deck replacement for the 55-year-old bridge sometime this decade.
THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT: A free new app for iOS devices offers photographs and GIS maps for the entire 1,400 miles of Upper Peninsula coastline. Great Lakes Shoreviewer, produced by the Superior Watershed Partnership, is also available online.
A Look at the Week Ahead
Friday, Dec. 21: End of the World? A Winter Solstice event at the University of Minnesota Duluth planetarium.
Tuesday, Dec. 25: Merry Christmas!