The Kids are Coming!: This is the year for the amazing migration of young people, flocking to one point along the U.S. or Canadian shore every two years. The 13th Lake Superior Youth Symposium will be arriving at the University of Minnesota Duluth on May 16-19. The Swenson College of Science & Engineering plays host to the youngsters from around the Lake Superior watershed. “We’re encouraging participants to explore their relationship with the Great Lakes through multiple perspectives,” says organizer Amy Kireta, an Outreach Specialist at UMD. “So, we’ve incorporated a wide variety of opportunities to explore things like art, science, culture and history to learn how they relate to freshwater resources.” Basically that means learning about the environment of the region through rock climbing, canoeing, hiking and art projects, speakers and hands-on stuff. Registration is open online until May 1 and the $200 cost includes lodging, food and transportation to symposium activities. The last youth symposium in 2017 was in Ashland, Wisconsin.
Think Big, Buy a Book: Tomorrow (Saturday) is Independent Bookstore Day and many of our independents around the Lake are planning big things with books. In Bayfield, Apostle Islands Booksellers, which has earned several Best of the Lake awards, plans some giveaway stuff plus has some great new items for sale. Zenith Bookstore in Duluth, one of the region’s newest independents, has free gifts, markdowns and free audiobooks while the Bookstore at Fitger’s, also in Duluth, will have author Joy Dey and illustrator Nikki Johnson signing their books, including our own Agate, What Good is a Moose? (we love that moose) along with other fun stuff. And those are just three examples. We have independents all around our shores. So tomorrow, visit your local store, hang out, buy a book.
Playing with an X Bot: Imagine a 3D printer able to turn waste plastic particles into kayak paddles, snowshoes, skateboards. That is, in fact, what a team from Michigan Technological University and re:3D, Inc. are imagining with a fused particle fabrication process to create durable and large sporting goods, writes Allison Mills of Michigan Tech. re:3D out of Houston, Texas, has already introduced the Gigabot, an industrial 3D printer, and this new process could be the foundation for a Gigabot X. “This isn’t a gadget to make toys for your kids,” says Joshua Pierce, a professor in the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “This is an industrial machine meant to make real, large, high-performance products. With well over 1,000 Fab Labs worldwide spreading fast and morphing into environmentally friendly ‘green fab labs’, the Gigabot X could be a useful tool to add to their services as well as other makerspaces.” Joshua, also a Richard Witte Endowed Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, adds, “Of course, for our testing we wanted to use recycled plastic.”
Tat for Tariff: The recently appointed CEO for Algoma Steel made a stop in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, last week and talked about the ongoing steel and aluminum tariff battle with the United States, writes James Hopkin of SooToday. According to James, Mike McQuade, addressing reporters, said, "the Sault Ste. Marie-based steelmaker is losing roughly $1 million a day – for a loss of roughly $250 million dollars since the tariffs on steel and aluminum were slapped on Canada by the U.S. in March 2018." He spoke during a local visit of the Canada's foreign affairs minister, Chrystia Freeland. She spoke, too, about the continuing tariff battle and the Canadian retaliatory tariffs, especially on steel and aluminum products.
Fabulously Frozen: Could a small company in Two Harbors, Minnesota, do for vegetarian fare what Jeno Paulucci did for Italian and American Chinese cuisine – which is to say, make it a convenient, everyday meal for busy people? It's kind of like that, but in a healthy way, for the family-owned Ruth’s Vegetarian Gourmet that makes small batches of frozen vegetarian and vegan foods. "Our products are inspired by a passion for healthy living," according to their website. The company already has placement in groceries around northern and central Minnesota, as well as central Wisconsin. Nachai Taylor did a story on the company for Fox21 and reported on a surprising reveal. The name of the guy who grew up vegetarian, created the company and named it for his mom? Bruce Bacon. That's right. Bacon.
Go a Little Wild: Our editor, Konnie LeMay, says she would be remiss if she didn't try to get a short plug in for Wildwoods, the animal wildlife rehabilitation center in Duluth. Last spring (and soon again this year, she hopes), Konnie spent quite a bit of time feeding formula to baby gray and red squirrels and a host of bird babies. Kon's especially fond of those baby robins that tend to flock around you in the holding cage, then sit in front of you and beg like puppies. But then again, those baby squirrels are both squirrely and adorable. Oh, oh, and these baby bunnies are from Wildwoods, too. Anyway, Sunday 2-6 p.m. is the group's annual fundraising Spring Soiree at Clyde Iron Works. Tickets available at the door. There's entertainment, food and fundraising stuff like a live auction. One of the auction items features two of our writer type friends – mystery writer Brian Freeman and "the author's wife" Marcia Freeman. You can bid on dinner for you and 7 of your friends at Restaurant 301 with best selling author Brian and Marcia.
This is, of course, the season when baby critters often end up needing a helping hand. Wildwoods posts advice about what to do when you stumble upon a baby that seems to be in need or abandoned (often they are not). The Michigan DNR also recently developed a "What Should I Do If I Find a Baby Animal?" webpage.
We Knew He Was Cool: Our Two Harbors, Minnesota, photographer friend Christian Dalbec got some nice recognition in a WCCO-TV story from the Twin Cities in one of its Finding Minnesota segments. They focused on Christian's Lake's-eye view level photography that captures a photo half in and out of the water. “This is eye-opening once you can see it. This is the purest form of natural therapy [laughs]!” Christian told WCCO. The story talks, too, about Christian's struggles with alcohol addiction and how he changed thanks to his love of the Lake and photographing it. He also found a new love and recently married her. “How he turned his life around is so beautiful," Kara Dalbec says. "I always say I respected him before I fell in love with him." We feel the same way and have loved featuring his photos, like his selfie here in our April/May 2016 issue, and the one on our February/March 2019 cover. It all couldn't happen to a nicer Dude.
Photo & graphic credits: Lake Superior Youth Symposium; Michigan Tech; Ruth's Vegetarian Gourmet; Wildwoods; Christian Dalbec