Gold Fever: What’s almost harder to believe than a Miracurl on Ice, that surprise (to some) winning of Olympic Gold for the first time by a U.S. curling team? It’s harder to believe that some really nice Northlanders suddenly have become national media celebrities. New York Times, national TV News, Time and a whole host of others raved about the unexpected win by skip John Shuster of Superior and teammates Tyler George, John Landsteiner and Joe Polo, all of Duluth, and Matt Hamilton of McFarland, Wisconsin. Coach Phill Drobnick is from Eveleth. One of our favorite stories came from Dan Wetzel at sports.yahoo.com, that started with: “If you want to compete against some gold medal winners, all you need to do is get yourself to league night at the Duluth Curling Club. You know the place, it’s right off Railroad Street, behind the cinema.”
The city of Duluth threw a welcome home party for the curlers and other regional Olympians – women's curling team members Aileen Geving and Cory Christensen, and cross-country ski coach and TV commentator Chad Salmela – at the DECC where local folk got to cheer the team plus take an up-close look at the gold medals. (Seen at right, Little Izzy Creger, the 6-month-old daughter of our proofreader, Mike Creger, even snuck a touch.) You can catch the team on a number of national TV appearances over the next few days. This morning, they rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange and tonight at 10:35 p.m. Central time, they’ll hang out with Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show on NBC. As long as they’re in New York, Saturday morning they’ll also be on NBC’s Today, which starts 7 a.m. CT. They end Saturday by dropping the puck at the Toronto Maple Leafs-Washington Capitals NHL match in Maryland.
Why Not a Curling Movie? The hashtag is #BorntoBroom and the question is, could that be a movie title? That’s what USA Today was following in a Twitter exchange that included speculation that Nick Offerman, on right, of TV’s Parks and Recreation” fame could play Team USA curler Matt Hamilton (it’s all in the mustache) while “How I Met Your Mother” star Jason Segel, on left, could make a nice John Shuster, skip of the Gold Medal-winning team. Nick actually tweeted when his ice abilities were questioned, “Sir, I was #BorntoBroom.” Hey, Nick, come to the Twin Ports and we’ll be sure to get a broom in your hands!
Other News about Gold: Harte Gold Corporation announced stronger than expected gold ore estimates for its operation, the Sugar Zone, in the gold mining area north of White River, Ontario, which it has been mining for about two years. According to the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal, the mine should begin producing gold ore by June at the operation, where about 100 people work.
Win When Your Ship Comes In: A good guesser or knowledgeable boat nerd could win a nifty prize package from Visit Duluth and other sponsors in the First Ship Contest now under way. To enter, you must make your best guess of the exact date and time that the first saltie (oceangoing vessel) will enter into the port of Duluth-Superior. There are prizes for first and second place, including overnight stays in hotels, restaurant gift cards and passes to several Duluth attractions. So get out the crystal ball, put on your thinking cap … or maybe Google the last few years’ first ship entries. Good luck!
And while you’re thinking about boats and the start of the season, you should know that names of all members of the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association earn the chance to win the a trip on a Great Lakes freighter in the Spring Break Up Drawing. Join up by April 15 to be eligible. (Full disclosure: Editor Konnie LeMay is on the board of LSMMA and would really like lots of new members.)
100 Million and 1: If you were southbound behind the guy on the left in this photo while crossing the International Bridge between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Ontario, on Thursday morning, you were the 100,000,001 person to cross the 56-year-old bridge … and you just missed out on a prize package. Donald Parish of Brimley, Michigan, was crossing to home from Ontario when he became the 100 millionth vehicle and got pulled over for a congratulations from the International Bridge Administration (IBA) representative (on right in photo). Heading north and also a 100 millionth winner was Stephane Richard of Sault, Ontario. Both got an IBA tote bag; a complimentary tour for four of the bridge arches; commuter account deposits for $40 (covering the bridge fee); a DVD of the 2012 bridge anniversary documentary, “Crossing Conversations;” a package of Michigan Department of Transportation logo items; Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan) Convention and Visitors Bureau 350th anniversary celebratory gifts; a framed photo of the bridge; and Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan) Chamber of Commerce bucks. Now the countdown starts for the next 100 million, so remember, always cross that bridge when you come to it.
Added to the Impaired Rivers List: Six tributaries to Lake Superior have been officially termed “impaired,” according to reports from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency as reported on by John Myers of the Duluth News Tribune. The Beaver River, Big Sucker Creek, French River, Talmadge River, Little Knife River and Skunk Creek are considered “impaired” under guidelines of the Clean Water Act “for too much silt, or turbidity, in the water on too many instances,” John reports. Skunk Creek also tested too high for E. coli bacteria on frequent occasions, which could be from animals, pets or leaky sanitary sewage lines. Increased development along the rivers’ watersheds likely contribute to the turbidity, increasing erosion on the clay soils and adding to the silt in the water. The impaired waters in the state are shown on an MPCA map online.
They’re On Fire: At least when it comes to having babies. The young firefighters in the Virginia, Minnesota, Fire Department have a total of nine new babies in the firefighting family in the last 16 months, reports Baihly Warfield of WDIO TV. A set of twins helped push up the total, but still an impressive number of newbies. All but one got together for this group photo taken by Fire Chief Allen Lewis.
River of Presidents: The Bois Brule River in Douglas County, Wisconsin, got a mention with a couple of photos when USA Today featured vacation spots favored by presidents. It noted: “The Bois Brule River in the northwest corner of Wisconsin is a popular vacation fishing spot for not just one U.S. president, but five: Presidents Coolidge, Grant, Cleveland, Hoover and Eisenhower have all cast lines into the river’s flowing waters. In 1928, President Coolidge spent the entire summer fishing on the river, using a local high school as his 'summer vacation White House.'” Learn more about the Brule River and its recreational offerings on Brule River Canoe Rental’s promotional video.
In Memoriam: We are sad to note the passing of two people important to their communities by Lake Superior.
Chef Rick Scheradella Jr., 58, who with his wife, Susan, started the Lemon Wolf Café in Beaver Bay, Minnesota, died Feb. 27 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin. After service in the U.S. Army, he obtained a Culinary Arts degree and took work at Lutsen where he met and married Susan Jepperson. Together they started the Lemon Wolf Café. Until his illness affected his ability to work, he cooked every meal at the restaurant for 18 years. Rick was an avid photographer and enjoyed being outdoors with the family dogs. We mentioned the struggles of the family and the café in an earlier Around the Circle This Week and the challenges continue. The family appreciates all support.
Also passing this week was a well-known figure around downtown Marquette. Phil Niemisto, 88, died peacefully at his home Feb. 25. He was born in Ishpeming, Oct. 19, 1929, just 10 days before the start of the Great Depression with the infamous stock market crash and grew up in an orphanage with his sister when his parents couldn’t afford to keep the family together. Ultimately his family would become all of Marquette when, perhaps based on the pluck learned from his youth, he began creating his own work by window washing, snow shoveling and gardening among the buildings for downtown merchants. Phil was so popular and well-known that a statue of him on a park bench was dedicated in the Phil Niemisto Pocket Park, reported at the time by UPMatters.com. Another good tribute was done by Word on the Street.
Photo & graphic credits: Kelly Stephens; Mike Creger; UMBC Student Events Board; Dora Britt; Harte Gold Corporation; Dennis O’Hara; International Bridge Association; Chief Allen Lewis; Brule River Canoe Rental; Bob Berg; UPMatters.