Rock Solid Growth in Ore: Increases in purchases by Canada and Japan fueled a nearly 770 percent increase from last year of certain exports from Minnesota. The state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development sent out a release announcing, “Ores, slag and ash exports grew 769 percent, fueled by major growth in Canada ($88 million, up from $1 million) and Japan ($48 million, up from $4 million). Iron ores account for most of these products,” according to the release. The remarkable increase is hardly a mystery, given that ore shipments in 2016 and in 2015 were in a considerable slum, according to statistics from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Through October this year, ore shipments in general (to domestic and foreign ports) have already exceeded the total 2016-17 season shipments. By October 2016, some 11,504,737 tons of ore were shipped out of Duluth-Superior, and by October’s end this year, 15,578,106 tons had been shipped – an increase of 4,073,369 tons and already topping last season’s totals. The shipping season continues into mid-January. If you’re wondering what happens to the Soo Locks during the shutdown, take a look at these photos posted by the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Progress Made, More Needed: The International Joint Commission, the binational group overseeing the waters between the United States and Canada, released its first assessment of progress on the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The IJC found that while progress definitely has been made toward cleaning up areas of concern, there remain significant environmental issues on the border waters, including persistent, long-term toxic chemicals still present and release of raw sewage occuring. Several news organizations noted the report, including the Thunder Bay CBC and Wisconsin Public Radio.
You Know You’ve Made It: When you’re a clue on "Jeopardy." Duluth Pack was the answer that popped up (see above); "What is Minnesota?" was the question on one show this week, Duluth Pack noted on Facebook.
Let It Snowy, Let It Snowy, Let It Snowy: Looks like this is shaping up to be an irruption year, a winter when a population decline in the rodent menu drives more than the usual number of snowy owls from Canada south into Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan and other Great Lakes states. An example of the difference this year was reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which noted 69 snowy sightings so far this season vs. three found by this time last year and 82 found during the last peak irruption in the 2015-16 winter. WXPR radio, meanwhile, had a note of caution about owl watching, keeping your distance because the birds likely are stressed.
This Just Flu In: The first case of influenza was confirmed in the Algoma district of Ontario, Algoma Public Health confirmed Wednesday. The health agency also reminded: “People of any age can get the flu. Illness due to influenza usually lasts two to seven days; sometimes longer in the elderly and in people with chronic diseases. Most people who get influenza are ill for only a few days. However, some people can become very ill, possibly developing complications and requiring hospitalization.” Minimal flu activity, meanwhile, has already been recorded within the Big Lake’s U.S. states, though perhaps not within the Lake basin. This map from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention shows flu confirmations for the week ending Nov. 25.
Goh Iromoto / Tourism Thunder Bay
Farm (& Fishing Boat) to Table
At The Fish Shop 11 miles east of Thunder Bay, Liisa Karkkainen shows off the smoked herring, whitefish and lake trout, “the three most popular commercial fish of the area,” she says.
Buying, Eating Local: The City of Thunder Bay received a national Local Food Champion Award in November for its efforts to promote local producers, reports Diego Flammini with Farms.com. The Ontario minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Jeff Leal, presented the non-profit Greenbelt Fund’s award to Dan Munshaw, the city’s manager of supply management. In 2016, the city purchased about $400,000 worth of locally produced food to use in day cares, at the city’s arena, etc. Thunder Bay is developing a reputation, too, for its locavore focus, top-quality dishes at dining establishments and farm-to-table movement, as we noted in our “Farm (& Fishing Boat) to Table” story in 2016. At the beginning of November, Mike Belisle, head chef at Barbecupid, earned the Food Network’s Top Chef Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario for his deep-fried Brussels sprout Caesar salad, reported The Chronicle-Journal.
Pop-up Play Space: The Duluth Children’s Museum opened a pop-up play space for the holidays at 408 W. Superior St. in Duluth. Children can expend a little energy for free there by building with giant blocks or creating ornaments. Parents might find gifts in the shop there. Pop-ups organized by the Greater Downtown Council have become a downtown Duluth tradition during the holidays with property owners offering free rent through early January for entrepreneurs to test their business ideas. The other two pop-ups for the season are Hucklebeary, specializing in greeting cards, fanciful gift wrap and party-planning workshops at 106 E. Superior St., and Wreath Operations, run by veterans for veterans with a holiday selection of wreaths and other items at 122 W. First St. Since the pop-up program started, seven business turned into full-time tenants: Lester River Trading Co., Market Day, Tischer Photographic Gallery, Solve Entertainment, Pichardo Boutique, Antiques on First and Whimsy.
The More the Merrier: Those Twin Ports dog parks just keep coming. Superior opened its first fenced-in, off-leash park, Graham Hakala reports for Fox21. The park is at the start of the Millennium Trail through the Superior Municipal Forest. A map shows the forest’s multi-use trail system (where you can walk the dog on a leash). The official ribbon cutting was this morning and the grand opening is 10 a.m. Saturday with human and dog treats donated by the Superior Jaycees.
Building a Better Fish Trap?: A resident at Batchewana First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie will have his ice-fishing invention sold in Canadian Tire stores in the city. Brandan Syrette, raised at Garden River First Nation, invented The Trigger, an ice-fishing holder that can set the hook for you. He earned the “2017 Innovation of the Year” award from the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Center. He left his construction work to start Black Fox Fishing to market the special holder. Darren Taylor of SooToday told the story of Brandon’s success and how he hopes the invention will take hold nationwide. As Brandon says, “If you want to catch bigger, use the Trigger.”
Rice Dance: Michigan Technological University’s Ford Forest Center hosted a rice camp this harvest season to talk about the Anishinabe cultural tradition of rice gathering and the current health of wild rice plants in the region. A story by Michigan Tech’s Cyndi Perkins sums up the gathering and the future of wild rice protection.
Telemark Lodge to Reopen in 2019: The long-shuttered Telemark Lodge near Cable, Wisconsin, has new owners who plan to remodel and then reopen the lodge sometime early in 2019, perhaps in time for that year’s American Birkebeiner. It has been closed since 2013. HK Hospitality Management of Florida purchased the lodge, according to the Duluth News Tribune.
Planning to visit the Duluth Winter Village?: Glensheen’s Director Dan Hartman gives his seven insider tips on ways to enjoy the annual gathering this weekend.
Photo & graphic credits: Bob Berg; The International Joint Commission; Duluth Pack; the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention; Groh Iromoto/Tourism Thunder Bay; Duluth Children’s Museum; Black Fox Fishing; Michigan Tech; Glensheen mansion.