Kinda Like Christmas: It was like Christmas in our office when our brand new, fresh-from-the-printer youth book, SUNKEN Shipwrecks of Lake Superior, arrived and author Kathy Groth of Hayward, Wis., came up to sign copies. The book follows the adventures of Chase, a boy whose dad is a Great Lakes diver, and Bri, a mysterious girl who first meets him in the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Duluth. Oh, the places they go … on the shore and to underwater shipwrecks. It's filled with facts and amazing photography, historic and under the water. That's all we're telling. Fox21's newest reporter, Lauren Akabori, chatted with Kathy. Our own Felicia Schneiderhan also interviewed Kathy for the current issue of Lake Superior Magazine, and you can find the story on our website.
High, But Not Over the Top: Lake Superior's water levels remained above average in May, but with weather and water supply conditions very dry throughout the entire Great Lakes basin for the month, did not rise for the third month in a row. Usually the levels would have risen nearly 4 inches in May, according to the International Lake Superior Board of Control. Even with the hold on the levels, at the beginning of June, Lake Superior was 3.9 inches above its 100-year average, but 11.8 inches below its record high in 2019. The water levels also were 5.9 inches below the same time last year. Typically, the water levels would rise in June as much as 6 inches, but that will depend, again, on the amount of precipitation.
The Centres of It All: This summer, visitors to Terrace Bay and Schreiber in Ontario will be able to enjoy new welcome centres opening soon. Terrace Bay's new center is right on the beach at the mouth of the Aguasabon River (seen in top of photo and from a side view) while Schreiber's centre will tie into its railroad heritage (bottom of photo). At Terrace Bay, visitors will find a gift shop and a nearby 300-metre boardwalk extending along a nature trail. The centre is intended to become a focal point for community programs, interpretive programming, and celebrations, such as Canada Day (July 1) and Lake Superior Day (July 18 this year). The Schreiber Rail Discovery Centre, which resembles a train station, will serve as an interpretive centre with historic railcars celebrating the town's history and current connection to the Canadian Pacific Railway. Both centres will feature information within about the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation area along the Ontario shore. Darrell Makin wrote about the new centers for Parks Canada.
'Tis the Season: The sunny message was as clear as the bright day and was oft repeated at the waterfront press conference Wednesday with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson and Visit Duluth President/CEO Anna Tanski. “Duluth is open for business,” said Amy, “and we want the whole state to come up.” Amy touted all of northern Minnesota's wide range of outdoor activities and hospitality and attraction options. Emily noted a heartening increase of tourism tax collections for April, which increased to nearly $769,374, up more than 200% from April last year. Anna, whose Visit Duluth organization markets the region and serves as the city's convention and visitor bureau, agreed, “Mother Nature gave us this tremendous setting, and we are willing to share it.” See the full report, including the trio's insights about tourism recovery and worker shortages on Business North.
Healthy Choice: Obviously this doe had her health in mind when she chose to shop at Tim's Whole Health in Thunder Bay, or as Tim's posted:
"We had an unexpected visitor in the store today 🙂
Fortunately she practiced social distancing!
Thank you to the kind officers from the Thunder Bay police who graciously escorted her out!!"
Welcome Worship: St. John’s United Church of Christ on Madeline Island has always served its small community in the most welcoming ways. As the only church open on the island in winter, its worship services work to welcome all denominations of full-time residents, from Christian to Jewish and other religions represented. After a year of COVID closure, the church will resume in-person worship this Sunday, though requesting masks and social distancing. “I am thrilled that we are returning to in-person worship,” says the Rev. Rachel Bauman, pastor at St. John’s. “It will be such a blessing to be in spiritual community in body as well as in spirit. I am so grateful and moved by the many ways the St. John’s community stayed engaged and committed during the past year-plus. Our online viewership consistently averaged 30% more than we would traditionally have in-person during the winter months, plus participation in Zoom Bible Study and small groups was consistently vital.”
Photo & graphic credits: Amy Larsen; International Lake Superior Board of Control; Townships of Terrace Bay & Schreiber, Ont.; Konnie LeMay; Tim's Whole Health; St. John's United Church of Christ