Around the Circle This Week: December 25, 2015

by

Happy Holidays from Lake Superior Magazine

All of us at the magazine wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Spend some time with loved ones, eat too much food and enjoy the season.

+ Paul Sundberg photographed this Christmas card scene in Grand Marais, Minnesota.

+ Just a reminder that our offices and Outlet Store are closed today and that we’re now closed on Saturdays until Memorial Day weekend. Next week, we close at 3 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and entirely on New Year’s Day.

Michigan Tech starts on bond projects

We’ve reported before on the economic impact of our Lake-region universities and colleges, and recently Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz gave the university’s board of trustees an update on its $24.3 million state bond issue and its local impact.

Already contracts have been signed for $6.3 million worth of work with 16 regional contractors in the western Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Projects range from remodeling bathrooms to renovating on-campus apartments to construction of a new fuel tank farm, as well as some safety updates around campus.

“Whatever we can do to support our local contractors when we do these projects, it’s a really great thing to do,” Glenn was quoted in an UpperMichiganSource.com story.

Interlake Steamship vessel to be re-powered this winter: The Herbert C. Jackson will be upgraded from steam to diesel power at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, reports Eric Haun of MarineLink.com. It’s the fleet’s last vessel to get the upgrade.

Nationally ranked speed skater returns to the Sault for the holidays: Gary Trembinski, who now trains in Calgary, hopes to compete for Canada in the 2018 Winter Olympics, writes Kenneth Armstrong of SooToday.com.

This week we note two passings: Lauren Larsen of Duluth – designer of the Copper Peak ski-flying jump and founder of LHB Inc. – passed away at age 82. Dick Bibby, also of Duluth, passed on at 93. A World War II Merchant Marine veteran, Dick was a fixture in the local maritime community. Both of them will be missed.