Courtesy Lakeview Arena
Hockeyville USA
Marquette residents watched the Hockeyville USA announcement live at Lakeview Arena. The city won the contest.
Marquette named Hockeyville USA
Besting more than 8,000 entrants from across the United States, Marquette won the title of Hockeyville USA as “the most passionate hockey community in America.”
For winning the contest – sponsored by Kraft, the NHL and NBC Sports – Marquette’s Lakeview Arena will receive $150,000 for upgrades and will host a nationally televised NHL preseason game between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.
Community supporters filled the arena for a viewing party to watch the announcement live on NBC last weekend. Voting took place over two weeks in April, and the NHL says millions of virtual ballots were submitted.
“The National Hockey League is pleased to recognize all who participated in Kraft Hockeyville USA and is delighted to congratulate Marquette, Michigan for ensuring that an upgraded Lakeview Arena will be able to welcome future generations of hockey families, players, coaches and volunteers,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a news release.
City officials don’t yet have firm plans for the facility upgrades. Keep an eye on the Lakeview Arena Facebook page for updates and forthcoming details on tickets for the preseason game.
Minnesota’s Lake County developing mountain bike trails
Sam Cook, Duluth News Tribune:
The county commissioned Adam Harju of Dirt Candy Designs, a Colorado-based firm that designs and builds mountain-biking trails, to create a tentative plan for 50 miles of trail. The trail system would be built within an area bounded by the Split Rock River, Lake County Road 3, Lax Lake Road and state Highway 61, Eide said. It would offer terrain suitable for beginning riders to advanced riders.
Construction would begin in 2018.
Drumming for healing
Organizers of Heartbeat of the Drum hope they will be heard around Canada when hundreds of people and hand drummers gather to sing, walk and drum by the shores of Lake Superior in Thunder Bay on Sunday to promote healing.
“Our goal is to have 500 hand-drummers from all walks of life,” organizers posted on the event’s Facebook page.
Cree elder Frances Wesley of Thunder Bay organized the gathering, scheduled appropriately for Mother’s Day, she says, because the goal is to have the drummers beating to the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
The CBC of Thunder Bay reported on the event with links to stories about deaths of First Nations students in the city and 10 missing or murdered First Nations women from the city. “We really need to come together as people in this community and let them know we do care for them,” Frances is quoted in the story.
Lake level update: Despite net water supplies into Lake Superior being below average in April, the Big Lake started the month of May at 8 inches (20 centimetres) above long-term average, reports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Conditions ideal for Wisconsin fishing opener: “With warming temperatures finally arriving in the northland, the opening of the general inland fishing season on Saturday figures to be a memorable one for anglers in northwestern Wisconsin,” writes Rick Olivo for the Ashland Daily Press.
Construction season under way: Resurfacing projects in Duluth and on Minnesota’s North Shore will close some lanes on portions of Highway 61, Highway 194 and I-35 from May 9 to July 15.
Farewell to Trouble: Lake Superior Zoo’s beloved brown bear will be transferred from Duluth to a sanctuary, reports WDIO-TV. The zoo is preparing for an extensive renovation.
Thunder Bay residents can recycle old TVs, computers, cameras and tires for free this weekend when OLG Casino Thunder Bay and EcoSuperior host a waste recycling event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the casino.